by Glenn Taylor
Northern News Services

INUVIK (Nov 07/97) - Where's Waldo? Practically everywhere, these days.

That's the nickname some residents have given Jonathan Day, a local 18-year-old boy who can be seen at practically every community event.

But unlike other lads his age, Day isn't there for the food and fun. He's volunteered with several organizations over the past year, running bingos, selling tickets and generally helping the town out any way he can.

Events that Day has given his time to in the last year read like a grocery list: selling tickets and working canteens and bingos at the Muskrat Jamboree; working at the annual talent show; selling hotdogs and inflating balloons at the International Peace Day; serving as a "bouncer" (as he calls it) at Ingamo Hall old time dances; assisting with a church vacation bible school; helping out where he can with the ambulance team; and as a junior volunteer firefighter.

Waldo -- er, Day -- was last seen last week at the Dave Jones' haunted house, sponsored by the junior and senior and volunteer firefighters. What makes this young man tick?

"I just want to learn all I can," said Day of his firefighting role. "I've always wanted to be a firefighter."

The Drum staff sees Day every week. He often drops in and helps sell papers for us. He even answers the phone on occasion, when the staff is tied up on other lines.

"You guys can't do all the work yourselves," explained Day. "Nobody can. I just like helping others." Day dropped out of school last year, but he's since returned. He finds it tough, he said, but he's trying to make it through. He doesn't know what he wants to do for a living, but working at the Drum is fun, he said. (Maybe a reporter? Run, Jonathan, run!)

Day is also consummately curious, and if there's a house fire or some other such event, Day is likely at the scene. "I just like to see what's going on around town."