First major gift to First People House of Learning

An aboriginal feast and celebration were held Jan. 12 at Trent to mark the beginning of the fund-raising campaign for Trent University's First Peoples House of Learning and Humanities Centre.

Mr. Charlie Coffey, Executive Vice-President (Government and Community Relations), Royal Bank of Canada, attended to announce a major gift of $200,000 to the fund-raising campaign. The event was opened with words of welcome to the territory from Gary Williams, Chief, Curve Lake First Nation. Marlene Brant Castellano, Friends of Native Studies Council, Trent University, was also on hand to introduce her co-chair Mr. Coffey, also of the Friends of Native Studies Council.

The First Peoples House of Learning and Humanities Centre component of Trent's $17-million Beyond Our Walls campaign, seeks $2-million from private donors as seed money for construction of a new home for aboriginal education, humanities teaching centre and cultural and performing arts facility.