It's quite a simple concept, really - get to know each other better and you can solve your problems from a common base of friendship and understanding.
That's the premise the annual Pulling Together canoe journey lives by as it puts police officers, First Nations and members of the community, both young and old, together on a wondrous and arduous canoe journey each year.
This year more than 40 people from the Sunshine Coast will take part in what will be perhaps the most challenging and difficult journey yet, from Tofino to Port Alberni. As a first, the Sechelt Nation is sending their canoe and a contingent of pullers on this journey. Our crews are truly a cross section of community from all backgrounds and walks of life (see more at www.pullingtogether.ca).
It is anticipated that there will be more than 250 people from all over B.C. on the water when this year's journey begins in Tofino.
It takes a year of planning to put such a journey together, and it also takes practice on the part of individuals hoping to paddle such long distances from July 1 to 9.
On Sunday, June 5, one such practice took place. This year's Sunshine Coast contingent paddled the entire length of Sakinaw Lake and back, about 20 km in all. They were there at the invitation of Greig Soohen, who hosted a gathering at his beautiful cottage on the shores of that pristine lake.
Graced with a hot, sunny day, the crews experienced loading huge canoes and transporting them and worked as a team for the entire day. At the Soohen cottage, Sechelt elder Barb Higgins spoke of the history of the Sechelt people on this beautiful lake.
During the day, this year's Pulling Together crew experienced in a small way what each day of their upcoming journey will be like. The day went from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the only difference between this day and the actual journey was that they got up from their own bed and didn't have to take a tent down before they paddled. And they didn't have to put their tent up after the paddle and begin the next day without a shower. That part they didn't rehearse. That journey experience waits on the west coast of Vancouver Island.
So too, the Sunshine Coast RCMP supported this paddle session on Sakinaw Lake. The presence of traditional canoes and the RCMP support vessel spoke loud and clear about the purpose and intention of Pulling Together. It's so simple - great things are accomplished simply by Pulling Together.
To follow this year's canoe journey through the eyes of your Sunshine Coast participants, check out http://sunshinecoastpullingtogether.blogspot.com/.
