Derek Neary
Northern News Services

FORT SIMPSON (May 21/99) - A door torn off the tent frame. Liquor bottles strewn about. A message spray-painted on the arbour.

This is some of the damage that has occurred at the Fort Simpson Dene camp over the past few weeks. Naturally, Bompas School staff and many of the students are particularly appalled by what they've seen.

"Yes, they're very disappointed," said Slavey instructor Florence Brown, "especially when they're using it all the time."

The students, from kindergarten through junior high, use the camp to learn traditional activities such as feed the fire ceremonies, telling stories and listening to invited elders, who share their knowledge.

"To us, it's a place that we respect a lot," said Brown, who added that the vandals are continually tearing into the tent forcing the staff and students to sew it up. "They (the students) get pretty hurt to see all of this being done."

The incidents have been reported to the police and they are driving by on a regular basis to try to prevent it from happening again, she said.

Some of the students have also decided to keep an eye on the camp and said they will report anyone hanging around, she added.