Jessica Klinkenberg
Northern News Services
Friday, April 27, 2007

YELLOWKNIFE - Families with the military in Yellowknife have a place to meet new people when they arrive.

But with new priorities outlined by their head office in Ottawa, the Military Family Resource Centre will be taking care of 29 more families - 25 in Whitehorse and four in Iqaluit.

"One of the new things for us is not only are we the Yellowknife family resource centre but also Whitehorse in the Yukon and Iqaluit in Nunavut."

New priorities have also been outlined, said Shannon Payne, executive director of the centre.

"One of the new mandates from Ottawa is to provide resources to single soldiers' families."

Payne said this means parents or siblings of soldiers can use the facilities.

This is because of increased activity and deployment to Afghanistan, Payne said.

"With the increased activity overseas all of the military family centres will be seeing more activity."

This also means that Support Our Troops gear is selling well. Payne said they're nearly sold out of the shirts with Yellowknife, Iqaluit and Whitehorse written on the back.

Payne said that the centre is also working on new programs, such as a military youth drop-in centre.

She said the centre recently received funding for two new computers. The centre also has a television, karaoke machine and a movie screen.

"It's a safe place to come," she said.

Payne said that sometimes the centre is booked for baby showers and small parties. It also has a daycare where military parents can drop their kids off on Tuesday mornings.

The centre is also looking to form a youth council.

"Basically (we'd) have them be a resource and act as an advising council to us to identify programs (for youth)."

The centre has hired new staff, and with the federal government emphasizing northern sovereignty, Payne said it's likely more families will be moving north.

"We'll be seeing more activity," she predicted.