Dorothy Westerman
Northern News Services

Yellowknife (Nov 04/05) - For nearly two weeks, seven prominent Yellowknifers have been carrying small cuddly dolls everywhere they go.

It's part of a foster parents awareness project sponsored by the Yellowknife Foster Family Association in partnership with Yellowknife Health and Social Services.

MLA Sandy Lee helped raise awareness about the ongoing need for foster families in Yellowknife when she committed to carrying her "adopted" doll around for two weeks. - Dorothy Westerman/NNSL photo

Participants had the dolls with them for the duration of the project, which ended Nov. 2, to prompt questions about being a foster parent, said Jodi Fowlie, project organizer.

One of those who proudly carried a small cloth doll was Kim Poulter, promotions and sales co-ordinator with First Air.

"I brought my new adoptee doll with me everywhere, so I could help to raise the awareness," Poulter said.

"I don't know it that allows me to pre-board on a flight," she said with a laugh.

The doll accompanied her to her Rotary meeting and on various stops about town.

Students at Weledeh school were visited by participants and their multicultural dolls on Monday to learn about how foster families operate.

There are 60-65 foster families in Yellowknife caring for 100 children aged from newborns to 18 years.

Foster parents can be married couples or singles. "They can be anyone who wants to provide a safe, nurturing environment for a child," Fowlie said.

"They are angels in disguise."

The only hitch is the foster parent must pass a thorough interview and home study process.

The association is continually trying to recruit new foster homes. "It's an ongoing thing. There's a lot of movement (of families) so it's good to retain the ones we have," Fowlie said.

As for the children, they are placed with foster parents for all sorts of reasons: a safe - perhaps temporary - place to live away from a troubled home, they require care while in Yellowknife for an extended medical visit, or maybe their single parent is in hospital and the child would be left on its own otherwise.

"Some children are permanently placed with a foster parent, but our goal is for the original family to be re-united," Fowlie explained.

Every year during Foster Family Appreciation Week the organization tries to celebrate in some way, said Tammy Krivda, president of the Yellowknife Foster Family Association.

"Each year our efforts get bigger and bigger. This is just an example of it," Krivda said.

The doll idea came from B.C.'s foster family organization, Fowlie said. "They're trying to make it go nation-wide."

Sandy Lee, MLA for Range Lake, has many friends who provide foster care. She considers it to be tremendously important work.

"Whether we want to accept it or not, we have a lot of children in the North who need care," Lee said.

"I took my doll, named Pat from Tuktoyaktuk, everywhere I went, but I think she found it very boring," Lee said.

Other participants included RCMP Inspector Roch Fortin, Commissioner of the NWT Tony Whitford, executive director of Stanton Hospital Foundation Linda Bussey, Canada Post supervisor Olive Arenga, and administrative assistant to the mayor, Rosalie Power.

Fortin said the experience gave him an appreciation that caring for children takes time and effort and is a wonderful gift.

"The doll makes me realize that it is nice to go home at night and appreciate the unconditional love that your child gives you," Fortin said.

- With files by Chris Woodall.