Talent highlights MidWinter Fair Banquet in Dodson

The Fort Belknap Mid-Winter Fair celebrated 50 years last week and Dodson School was lucky enough to be a part of the yearly celebration, hosting the fair's dinner banquet and youth talent contest last Wednesday night.

"This is the first time we have hosted the event and we are so honored to be doing it," said Dodson School's Wendy Hopkins. "They asked if we would host the banquet and we graciously accepted."

Dinner on the night included fried chicken, baked potatoes, corn and dessert and was prepared and served by Dodson School's CloseUp and Upward Bound organizations and monies raised on the night benefited the two groups.

Fort Belknap MSU Extension Agents Liz Werk and Hillary Maxwell explained that the Mid-Winter Fair is a six-day event at which dozens of events take place (from chili cook-offs to a "ranchers round-up" and from Wednesday night's talent show and banquet to a fair-ending Pow Wow.) Don Racine, Talent Show Master of Ceremonies, explained that the Mid-Winter Fair was started as a way to shake-off the winter blues.

"In 1968, a group of people from our homelands organized this and got together and shared many, many things," Racine said. "From arts and crafts to tanning, some traditional crafts and also during that time they tried to keep our people going. We all know that the winter time is very hard and stressful on our people so we try to get together as much as we can because when we are around one another and get to visit with one another, it lifts our spirits and makes us feel good."

During the evening, some of the original Mid-Winter Fair Committee were honored. Though many of the original members have passed on or are unable to travel, family members of Caroline Yellow Robe, (Edna) Blue Miller, (Philomene) Tootsie Hawley, Joan Healy, Cecelia Lankford and Sarah Kill Eagle were on hand Wednesday night and honored before the talent show began.

"If this first group of people didn't have the foresight to share their knowledge with others, 50 years later we wouldn't still be celebrating at this Mid-winter fair," Racine said.

Kyla Racine, Dodson Senior Class President, and Don's daughter, gave the welcome speech ahead of the talent show and thanked everyone for coming to the event.

"On behalf of our community and school district, I'd like to welcome you all to Dodson, traditionally known as 'people creek' in our Aaniiih and Nakoda language," she said. "Tonight we are pleased to host the banquet and talent show for the 50th annual Fort Belknap Mid-Winter Fair.

The talent show followed the chicken dinner and featured two different sub-shows; traditional and then an Elvis Presley theme. Prizes for the night were sponsored by Island Mountain Development Group and Caroline Yellow Robe and winners and awards are as follow: Traditional: Isaiah Prophet Fox, first place, $300; Bow Horn Weasel, second place, $200 and Aubrey Werk, third place, $100. Elvis Theme: Tova Anderson, first place, $400; Imagin Fox, Marie Hogan and Svea Hogan, second place, $300 and Shaylee Decelles and Kataya Flansburg, third place, $200.