Paul Bickford
Northern News Services

Fort Smith (July 11/05) - Anyone spotting a gigantic furry pelican dressed as a voyageur wandering around Fort Smith need not be alarmed.

It's just Frederique, the new mascot of the Fort Smith Francophone Association.

Frederique, the new mascot of the Fort Smith Francophone

The reaction to Frederique was very positive when he was first introduced to the public June 10 at Joseph Burr Tyrrell elementary school.

"It was really a big hit," says association president Corinne Steed, noting many children and adults got up to do the chicken dance with Frederique.

Two of Frederique's new fans are children of Claudette James, the vice-president of the francophone association.

Alex James, 11, says she likes the mascot because he is funny and the colours are nice.

Her eight-year-old brother Luke agrees. "He's a funny-looking pelican."

The idea for an association mascot originated in September of last year.

"One of our goals is to increase the association's visibility in the community," James says, noting the idea of a mascot was suggested by association co-ordinator Diane Harton.

Steed points to Bonhomme Carnaval of Quebec City as an example of how effective a mascot can be. "We're hoping to develop that kind of recognition over the years."

The mascot was created for $3,500 by a Quebec company, based on the suggestions from the Fort Smith association.

James says the company was asked to create drawings for a pelican, buffalo and a moose, and the association executive chose the pelican.

"I think for us the pelican personified Fort Smith," she says. "We picked the colours very deliberately so it looked like a voyageur - the jacket being plaid, the red hat and the voyageur-type sash," James notes.

The mascot was named through a contest among students at Tyrrell school.

The winning name was suggested by Grade 5 student Georgina Skippings.