Jennifer McPhee
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Dec 31/01) - It started out as just another weekly Rotary Club luncheon at the Explorer Hotel -- except that Lions Club president Terry Pierce was the guest speaker.

A month ago, the Yellowknife Lions Club "found" the Rotary Club's bell and held it for ransom.

A $200 cheque made out to the Yellowknife chapter of the Canadian Institute for the Blind will guarantee the bell's safe return.

"As you know, a member of the Lions Club passed through the Explorer Hotel and saw your bell unattended," said Pierce.

"We thought it best to take it into our possession so it wouldn't fall into unsavoury hands."

"And it sure did," muttered one Rotarian at the meeting.

Minutes later, two men dressed in black and wearing balaclavas burst into the room, carrying an object wrapped in a green garbage bag.

The two mysterious men, who later identified themselves as "Nin" and "Jah," then peeled back the garbage bag to reveal the Lions Club flag.

Nin and Jah claim Rotary Club president Austin Marshall sent them on a mission to retrieve the bell. Instead, they "found" the flag.

This new development gives Rotarians some badly needed leverage in the negotiations.

"I think if they want us to contribute, they should be contributing too," said Nin. Exactly what kind of contribution will lead to the return of each group's respective property remains to be seen.

"I think the Yellowknife community would want to see us resolve this in a friendly way," said Pierce.

The groups agreed to meet and hash things out in January.

Meanwhile, the flag is under protection.

"At every meeting we will look at it until we give it back to them," said Nin.