In Cambridge Bay, Annie and William Palvialok are well known for always being on hand to arrange free community activities, as well as sharing country food that they hunt with fellow residents.

A few weeks ago, the Palvialoks arranged their 11th annual Easter games on the bay ice, which takes place over three days. William says people thank them afterwards for their efforts.

Besides running the Easter games, William says volunteering in recreational activities is something heSA国际影视传媒檚 done for most of his life.

SA国际影视传媒淸Cambridge Bay] is my region, my hometown, [but] ISA国际影视传媒檝e always been volunteeringSA国际影视传媒� after I left residential school, I realized I needed to get involved with things to get [that] off my mind,SA国际影视传媒� he says.

That was before he met Annie, who hails from Umingmaktok (Bay Chimo), when he was still a teenager.

After having two children together, it was actually their daughter at age five who suggested that the family should expand their family Easter egg hunt to make the event larger scale for the community.

SA国际影视传媒淚 got this into my mind,SA国际影视传媒� says William, SA国际影视传媒渁nd from then it never really stopped.SA国际影视传媒�

The hunt goes on

Now WilliamSA国际影视传媒檚 children are in their late teens, and he and Annie are SA国际影视传媒渢rying to make [the Easter egg hunt] bigger and better every year. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 hard though, because of the cost of living,SA国际影视传媒� he says.

As the Hamlet of Cambridge Bay does not shoulder any costs for this yearly event that sees up to 700 people out on the Bay ice, the money often comes out of the PalvialoksSA国际影视传媒� pockets.

Annie sells her bannock and stew in the community to raise funds, which this year netted more than $2,000 for the Easter games. There were also some generous private donations that saw a grand total of $5,000 raised to buy prizes and ingredients for the country food Annie cooks in her tent, although the sharing of country food is something that goes on all year with the Palvialoks in the community and that they are well known for in Cambridge Bay.

The focus for the Palvialoks is to offer traditional events that are different from the snowmobile races that seem to be the focus of recreation in the hamlet.

SA国际影视传媒淭oday, itSA国际影视传媒檚 always racing, racing, racing,SA国际影视传媒� remarks Palvialok. SA国际影视传媒淵ou can see the whole bay SA国际影视传媒� the ice is packed with people wandering aroundSA国际影视传媒� getting [their] spring fever back.

SA国际影视传媒淚t takes a lot out of you, especially when youSA国际影视传媒檙e dedicated to something. ItSA国际影视传媒檚 for love of the children and families. It fills you up spiritually, and we want to keep it going, but itSA国际影视传媒檚 more difficult every yearSA国际影视传媒� weSA国际影视传媒檙e going to try and keep it going, but we might have to stop.SA国际影视传媒�

Even now, the Palvialoks are in the process of planning something for the upcoming weekend.

SA国际影视传媒淲e have most of our [caribou] meat cut up already, and weSA国际影视传媒檙e planning on buying some candied and smoked char,SA国际影视传媒� William says. SA国际影视传媒淢ost times, our place is packed. When you feed the community, you get so much in return.SA国际影视传媒�