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The Northwest Territories/Nunavut Council of Friendship Centres is holding its annual general meeting this weekend at the Tree of Peace Friendship Centre. The meeting will run from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. All members are welcome to attend and refreshments will be available.

- Katherine Hudson

CarolFest returns

The Yellowknife Ministerial Association is holding its annual CarolFest at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday at St. Patrick's Parish.

CarolFest 2012 will feature an ensemble choir. The public is invited to join in singing popular and original Christmas songs, starting at 6:30 p.m.

Non-perishable food donations will be collected at the event for the Yk Food Bank.

- Thandiwe Vela

Visitors from South Africa

Students of St. Patrick High School service club Interact will reunite with friends made during an exchange trip to South Africa last year, as six students and two chaperones from Richards Bay, South Africa, visit Yellowknife next week.

The students from South Africa are scheduled to be in the city from Sunday to Dec. 10. A dozen St. Pat's students visited the country in the summer of 2011 as part of an adventure and volunteer trip to the African country.

"We were there for two weeks in 2011 and it was our intention all along to do a true exchange, so we're very excited that they're coming here so we could show off our beautiful city," said Interact advisor Susan Huvenaars.

- Thandiwe Vela

Abortion discussed by youth group

Anti-abortion youth group Love Life Yellowknife hosted Ontario-based activist Denise Mountenay on a whirlwind speaking tour of the city recently.

The author of Forgiven of Murder: A True Story shared her story of regret over a number of abortions after being raped at 13, after which she spiraled into a life of alcohol, drug abuse and promiscuity.

The tour wrapped up last Monday, after a number of stops at Yellowknife schools, as well as Church of Christ and Tree of Peace.

- Thandiwe Vela

Official opening of the Deh Cho Bridge

A celebration is being held in Fort Providence to mark the official opening of the Deh Cho Bridge on Nov. 30.

Highway access to the bridge site will be controlled in the lead up to the events that will begin at 2 p.m. Residents of Fort Providence and other people who want to witness the ceremony will be able to leave their vehicles in a parking area near the Big River Service Centre and take a shuttle bus to and from the events, said Earl Blacklock, a spokesperson with the Department of Transportation.

A fire-feeding ceremony will be the first event followed by a ribbon cutting and a walk across the bridge. The celebration will continue in Fort Providence with official remarks at Deh Gah School, a community feast and fireworks.

An introductionto jiu-jitsu

A free Brazilian jiu-jitsu clinic is being offered in Fort Simpson.

Faron Sinnicks, an instructor from Yellowknife, will be leading the clinic from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. in the recreation centre on Dec. 1. The event is open to anyone ages 14 and older. Jiu-jitsu is a martial arts form.

No experience is necessary and participants should wear regular workout clothes, said Chris Stipdonk, who is organizing the event.

Hamlet acclamations

Two candidates have been acclaimed to hamlet council in Fort Liard.

Sahadat Farzana and Francine Kotchea were the only people to put their names forward by the Nov. 19 nominee deadline. Farzana and Kotchea will be serving a two-year term on the council.

One-day bonspiel

The Fort Simpson Curling Club is holding its first bonspiel of the season.

The Cashspiel will take place on Dec. 1. Teams of four can register for $100. People who don't have a pre-arranged team are also welcome to register and will be grouped with other players, said Vanessa Murtsell, the club's president.

Logo contest for students

The Dehcho Boreal Caribou Working Group is holding a logo design contest.

Students in the Deh Cho are being challenged to draw or digitally create a logo for the group. The deadline for submissions is Jan. 24.

The creator of the winning logo will receive a $100 gift card to the Northern Store. Logos can be submitted in person at the Department of Environment and Natural Resources office in Fort Simpson or by contacting Nic Larter, the regional biologist with the department.

Not guilty pleas

Lawyer Peter Fuglsang entered not guilty pleas to charges of assault, uttering threats and forcible entry on behalf of Kurt Wainman on Nov. 27.

Wainman, an Inuvik town councillor, did not appear in court to enter his own pleas, although he was required to be there. As a result, territorial court Judge Bernadette Schmaltz said a warrant would be issued for Wainman's arrest if he did not appear at his next scheduled court date on Jan. 15.

Wainman, who was re-elected to town council last month, declined to comment.

Next to new

It's that time of year where the shelves are starting to look a little empty while waiting for the roads to open but Next to New, at the Ingamo Hall Friendship Centre, is encouraging people to stop by and help them clear off some shelves.

"We're having a big sale," said Melissa Kisoun.

"It's a big liquidation, everything must go."

On Dec. 5, from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the store will be open. Donations of gently used clothing are still welcome. Donation bins are located behind the friendship centre.

Storybook spending

The second annual school library fundraiser is scheduled for Dec. 1. Sponsored by the Ladies Auxiliary at the Royal Canadian Legion, the Italian-themed evening and meal will go toward raising money for the new East 3 library, used by both elementary and high school students.

Tickets are available at the Legion, the East 3 elementary head office and the high school head office.

Lifesaving skills

Lifeguard courses are being offered at the Midnight Sun Recreation Complex starting Dec. 1.

The course offered is the combined Bronze Medallion and Bronze Cross course and are one of the prerequisites to becoming a nationally-certified lifeguard.

The course is scheduled to run for a couple of weeks and is open to those 13-years-old and up.

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