From: the Ferguson, LePrieur and McLean families, Thebacha/Fort Smith
Dear editor,
On Aug. 9, 2018 we attended the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Fort Smith landslide. Although 50 years had passed since that awful day that took the life of our mother and grandmother Kay Ferguson, we were apprehensive about what this day would bring.We had initially planned to have a mass said and then we would go to the St. Isadore Cemetery to pay our respects, pray, do some repairs to the sites and quietly reflect on the last fifty years.
However, those plans did not materialize and a wonderful, thoughtful, caring and compassionate event came to pass.
It was an event that not only encompassed the commemoration of a tragic event and the celebration of life, but also the resilience of those directly affected and the strength and perseverance of the people of Fort Smith.
It was a very emotional time, as we sat in the tent and listened to the stories of people's firsthand experience, the displacement from their homes, the heartache and the frustration experienced by the First Nations and Metis people who were directly impacted by this event. However, they were a resourceful and strong people who fought through all this hardship and succeeded.
It was not all about the direct effects of this event, but also a celebration of life, the dedication of a plaque, placed on a magnificent stone, naming each of the families impacted, the dedication of a beautiful bench in remembrance of Kay and the establishment of a remembrance park overlooking the majestic Slave River.
We want to take this opportunity to thank Jeannie Marie Jewell and the committee members: Toni Heron, Betty Villebrun, Shannon Colemen, Maureen Mercredi, Louis Mercredi, Victor Marie,
Don True and Patti Kay Hamilton, for all their hard work in making this wonderful commemoration come to pass. We also want to give a shout out to those volunteers who did such a wonderful job in the planning, preparation and presentation of a fantastic fish fry meal.
Thank you again to the people of Fort Smith.
May God Bless you all.