A series of free cultural workshops filled almost immediately after nearly being cancelled.

SA国际影视传媒淚 emailed my funding people and said ISA国际影视传媒檓 going to have to give the money back, I canSA国际影视传媒檛 do it,SA国际影视传媒� said Lise Saumur, director of community services for the town.

She had received Canada 150 funding to host some cultural workshops in the town, an idea that was the brainchild of Saumur and former tourism manager Vicky Gregoire-Tremblay. But without having a coordinator to run the program, Saumur thought it wouldnSA国际影视传媒檛 work out.

ThatSA国际影视传媒檚 when she remembered Jodi Day-McLeod coming to council with her Inuvik Community Events Society group, which was looking to create a volunteer organization to run some of the events that have gone quiet in the last few years in town.

SA国际影视传媒淪he just went with it,SA国际影视传媒� said Saumur about Day-McLeod when propositioned with the idea to help run the series of workshops. SA国际影视传媒淪he got all the workshops lined up, talked to all the people, did all the background legwork and then met with me and said, SA国际影视传媒業 just need you to okay this, this, this.SA国际影视传媒橲A国际影视传媒�

Eleven different workshops are taking place over this month and next, from African drumming and dancing to East India henna, Inuit beading and Philippine cuisine. Nearly all of them filled up immediately.

SA国际影视传媒淚nuvik has so many different cultures and people from different places here,SA国际影视传媒� said Saumur. SA国际影视传媒淲e thought that would be really cool to learn about other people because weSA国际影视传媒檝e got them all here, and then to cap that off with a heritage festival.SA国际影视传媒�

That festival is planned for two weeks after the sunrise festival in the new year. Saumur said it will be a family event over a weekend, showcasing activities from different cultures and countries.

Saumur hopes the relationship with the events society can continue.

SA国际影视传媒淛odi and her group is a godsend for me,SA国际影视传媒� she said. SA国际影视传媒淚 canSA国际影视传媒檛 dole her enough praise for everything sheSA国际影视传媒檚 done in the background.SA国际影视传媒�

She hopes to see if making the workshops a paid experience means they could be held more regularly, if the demand is there.

Day-McLeod said the relationship with the town works out for her group, which is currently fundraising for its priority event of reviving the New YearSA国际影视传媒檚 dance.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e definitely interested in working with the town,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

The society has raised just over half of the money it needs to hold the dance. The best-case scenario for the dance will cost about $10,000, but the group is confident it can run a scaled-down version if it canSA国际影视传媒檛 meet that fundraising goal.

SA国际影视传媒淲eSA国际影视传媒檙e very confident that weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to run it with everything offered SA国际影视传媒� jigging prizes, door prizes, a live band and the feast,SA国际影视传媒� said Day-McLeod.

The push is on now to recruit more volunteers to help at the event.