When Hazel Erickson retired she couldn’t think of a better way to give back to her community than to spend the next 14 years getting together with her favourite ladies to do some good work.
Mrs. Erickson is part of the grandmothers' group at the Prince George Native Friendship Centre that offers guidance, shares knowledge and provides comfort to those in need. When The Citizen caught up with the group, there were nine ladies making Christmas ornaments for those in need of a little cheer in the community this year.
“When the youth come we help make them stuff,” Mrs. Erickson said. “We make tie blankets and we help the youth out. I think they need to mix with the elders and we all come whenever they call us."
Because that is what’s needed from a Kookum, a grandmother, and Mrs. Erickson has been part of the Kookums’ Konnection for all these years.
Kookum means grandmother in Cree and the role of these volunteers falls into a traditional grandmother’s role where she will play with the little ones (in the early childhood education department), guide in tradition the young ones who need grounding (in the youth groups), assist with food security (at the food bank) because there’s nothing worse than an empty belly and then there’s even some craft creating of items that are gifted to those in need. It’s all part of the volunteering effort to lift up the community in need of assistance, teachings and guidance. Mrs. Erickson is Carrier and in the Dakelh Carrier language Grandmother is "adoo," she said.
“When we spend time with the youth we are making a connection with them,” Mrs. Erickson said. “We talk to them and get to know them and that’s the most important job we have here.”
