Michele LeTourneau
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Mar 22/00) - A tickle trunk and llamas on Frame Lake...what's going on here?

Why, the Peter Gzowski Invitational Golf Tournament, of course.

"On a CBC television show a couple of nights ago they had a story on llamas being used as caddies on a golf course in Ontario," says Katherine Robinson of the NWT Literacy Council.

"So as usual we're on the crest of a trend here in the North."

The llamas will caddy thanks to local llama-keeper Glen Zelinski.

Alright then, that explains the llamas, but what's up with the tickle trunk?

Canadian childhood icon Mr. Dressup (aka Ernie Coombs) will be golfing his heart out on Frame Lake in his "trusty boots," Robinson explains. And Mr. Dressup just isn't Mr. Dressup without his infamous tickle trunk.

"There will be a tickle trunk hole, where you have to put on fabulous things like purple feather boas and stuff before you take your shot," says Robinson.

"And if you don't, you get a two stroke penalty."

But did Robinson get to talk with Mr. Dressup -- that's the important question!

"He's very sweet," admits Robinson.

"As sweet as he is on TV, he's as sweet as that on the phone."

Robinson also admits that she was just a little intimidated at the prospect of speaking with Coombs.

"I was nervous. My stomach was actually flipping a little bit. One of the things I was afraid of was that I was going to slip and call him Mr. Dressup. And I don't call him Ernie. I call him Mr. Coombs. That just seemed to be the more natural way of addressing him."

The council has planned a literacy jam to take place in the St. Patrick high school gym, the night before the golf tournament, March 28.

All the PGI celebrities will be there to perform, including Coombs and Wayne Rostad of CBC's On the Road Again, along with local musicians Pat Braden, Tracy Riley, Suzette Montreuil and Ron Kent.

Admission is free and the festivities for this family event begin at 7:30 p.m.

"And there will be book sales and other little things like that going on," adds Robinson.

The golf tournament itself takes place on Wednesday, March 29.

"Tee-off is at 3 o'clock on the ice of Frame Lake by the Ruth Inch Memorial Pool.