Downes, V. J. (29 August 2007). LCOOCC library open house. Washburn County Register, p. 20.

LCOOCC library open house

By Valerie J. Downes, Happy Tonics

HAYWARD - "Dream big dreams, plan carefully, take one step at a time, be patient and the dream will be realized" was the theme of those gathered to celebrate the opening of the new Library on the 25th Anniversary of the founding of Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwe Community College. The Grindstone Lake Singers welcomed the audience with song, preparatory to the traditional invocation given by Jerry Smith.

As Master of Ceremonies, Jeff Ames, Library Building Committee Chair, introduced the speakers: Dr. Danielle Hornett, College President and Jeff Crone, Chairman, Board of Regents. Jim Trojanowski, Director, Northern Waters Library Service, announced that the new Library would be a part of the System. Marie Kuykendall, Library Board President, introduced the speaker, Author/Activist, White Earth Land Recovery Project, Winona LaDuke, who emphasized the importance of LCOOCC and its new Library, by saying, "We need to be training our own to become leaders. History is not made by other people. It is made by us, our dreams and our difficulties."

The audience was treated to a video presentation by the Youth Media Camp. Patty Lowe, UW-Madison Youth Medic Camp, spent four days with the Boys and Girls Club during which the participants wrote scripts, composed music and filmed videos about water, "the blood of our Mother Earth; home to our brothers and sisters." A feast, which culminated the festivities, was preceded by tours of the Library and the Migizi Cultural Center. Exhibits of Happy Tonics Global Warming/Monarch Butterfly Crisis and Honor the Earth: Impacted Nations: A Traveling Art Show are on exhibit in the Migizi Cultural Center through September. The artwork profiles the intersection of Indigenous artists and environmental concerns. The celebration was joyous, involving all segments of the LCOOCC community.