Kevin Wilson
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Apr 26/02) - What mighty contests arrive from trivial things.

More than six months after a bell and banner-napping rocked Yellowknife's service club community, Centre Square Mall is throwing open its doors to foster a new spirit of detente.

Fair in the Square, a joint project of the Yelloknife Rotary and Lion's Clubs, will take over the lower half of the mall May 5.

"We're really trying to make it a family oriented event," said Jennifer Marchant, Centre Square general manager and Lions Club member.

Last November, an official Rotary bell, used to start the club's meetings, went missing. The Lions immediately came under suspicion.

A short while later, the Lion's discovered their banner had gone AWOL. Two men, identified as "Nin" and "Jah" claimed responsibility. The duo is believed to be associated with the Lion's.

Negotiations ensued, and an orderly exchange of hostages took place Valentine's Day.

Those negotiations included provisions to raise funds for a charity not within the two club's normal sphere.

"That's how it developed," said Marchant. Hence, Fair in the Square. The four-hour affair will include family-oriented friendly competitions and games of chance.

"We're looking at simple things, really," said Marchant.

She added that, "all proceeds of the day, will go to Project Heartbeat," an initiative by Stanton Regional Hospital Foundation to raise funds for cardiac diagnostic equipment.