Tikinagan Honours 7 Foster Parents
Every year at our Annual Chiefs Assembly, we honour Foster Parents who are caring for child and youth from the community we host the meeting. This year, we acknowledged seven individuals from the Thunder Bay District and Aroland First Nation on October 6 in Thunder Bay.
Viola Angeconeb and Ernest Anderson
Viola has been Fostering for about 20 years. Together, Viola and Ernest have been fostering for almost eight years since February 2015.
They began fostering when Viola quit her job to raise her grandchildren. They ranged over the years from new born to teenagers. Now she mostly works with younger children.
When they were younger, Viola and Ernest were neglected as children, so they are intentional about creating a positive experience and creating a loving and caring home. They treat their foster children like her own family. They enjoy walking, shopping, busing to the mall, and biking.
Viola is from Sandy First Nation, and Ernest is from Kasabonika First Nation
Monique Turpin and Aaron Therriault have been fostering for more than 15 years, often caring for 7-to 16-year-olds.
In their home, they enjoy hiking, swimming, travelling, going to camp, pow wow, cultural activities, and feasts.
Their impact on fostering even left a mark on their own daughter, Annishii, who asked them to foster again after a short hiatus.
Monique and Aaron recall: “She had done an assignment at the school and it included a book about a foster child. She wanted to be able to enrich the life of a child.”
Aaron Therriault is from Aroland First Nation
Donald MacLeod is a band member of the Chippewa’s of the Nawash First Nation.
Donald is employed with the school as the land-based worker and mental health counsellor in Aroland First Nation.
Donald enjoys fostering and spends a lot of time mentoring them one-on-one with them, which leads to positive changes in their lives.
Donald grew up in the foster system and is aware of the challenges children face when coming into care. Donald, who has been fostering with Tikinagan for two and a half years, is a caring, responsible foster parent who understands what fostering is about. His Tikinagan Worker describe Donald as “a great role model and father type figure in the roles of fostering the children and youth he has.”
Florence and Henry Goodchild are celebrated their 11thanniversary as foster parents with Tikinagan on the same day as the Chiefs Assembly, October 6. They regularly care for long-term children and youth.
They enjoy spending time with their children outdoors, which includes hunting, camping, fishing and teaching the traditional way of life.
They currently have a small chicken coupe, which is maintained by one of the youth. This teaches them how to maintain and budget earnings. For example, the youth has to check for fresh eggs at 6 am, then gathers it in containers. This is a learning experience.
Florence and Henry are from Aroland First Nation.
Thank you to all of our wonderful foster parents!