Darrell Greer
Northern News Services

Rankin Inlet (Feb 27/02) - Jim Ramsay is looking forward to the challenges awaiting him and his family as they begin a new chapter in their lives.

The Ramsays will be moving to their home on the golf course in Sandy Hook, Man., about 40 miles north of Winnipeg, during the next two months.

Jim is still weighing his options as far as his professional life goes.

One thing he does know: Sandy Hook will have to be an exceptional community to top the warmth his family received during their time in Rankin Inlet.

"The people in Rankin have always been exceptional when it comes to how my family and I were treated," says Ramsay.

"I've never lived in a community where the people made us feel at home as much as they did here.

"The people in this community have been there for me since Day 1. They've always been upbeat and supportive."

Many people who leave the North keep in touch with friends here and Ramsay is no exception.

He readily admits the North has a way of working its way inside you and never letting go.

"I'll go on the record and say I'll definitely keep in touch with people in Rankin -- and not only because I have so many fond memories here," he says.

"You never know what the future holds. I could end up really bored in a couple of years and feel like I have to get back to Rankin Inlet."

Ramsay says he would be remiss if he didn't acknowledge the efforts of the organization that brought him to Rankin.

He says the Evaz Group deserves a lot of credit for his family's happiness during their time in the Kivalliq.

"If it wasn't for them, I couldn't have done half of what I was able to."

Ramsay says there's many things about Rankin he's going to miss.

While he'll miss the landscape and the unique style of Northern living, people top his list of things he'll miss the most.

Ramsay says he's also going to miss the diversity of the projects he was involved in and the challenge those projects presented him.

"Whenever we did an event, we'd always be panicking as we went along.

But, as the time drew close, so many people in the community would step up to the plate and make sure everything was a success," he says.

"The Jammin' on the Bay music festival was held last year would be the number one example of that.

"You'll find very few places in the country with the type of community spirit needed to pull off an event like that with mostly volunteers."