Shame on Peter Haugan and the All Native tournament committee for their treatment of longtime volunteer and Elder, Bernice Pilfold.
Bernice was prepared to do her usual job of organizing the ANBT ticket-takers but when she started to call around to get things going, one of her volunteers informed her that HE was now the organizer and that she was no longer even on the committee anymore! As her daughter, Carolyn said, replacing her is one thing, but not even bothering to tell her, and thank her for over 50 years of service to the tournament, is downright rude and hugely disrespectful.
This was on Saturday and, still, the ANBT committee has not called her or gone to see her to apologize. She couldn’t even attend the opening ceremonies that she loves because, no longer being a committee member, she wasn’t given a ticket - you think she would have a seat for life after 50 years of volunteering!
That is sad an unacceptable way to show leadership & decision making. Why not just acknowledge all her years of service at the ANTB, since everyone knows who she is. Everyone is wondering where she is. She has been there since the beginning and to just be thrown away, without proper justification or acknowledgement is wrong. ANT wants full support of the people and the city, yet they toss aside the person who had been volunteering her time since the beginning of time? “You treat people the way you want to be treated”
Be fair, be honest. You mishandled this situation and instead trying to throwing it under the carpet and ignore, acknowledge it and correct it. You have all the nations watching. This is not how you will treat people who has faithfully volunteered for 50+ years. Shame on you!
Sounds like a dick move to me. Is the new guy getting paid? I’m going to guess yes?
Terrible !!! I do not know Bernice Pilfold, but I would like to let her know I am feeling very sad for her at this moment… she must so hurt, we cannot imagine how confused and hurt she feels. I am sorry Bernice that you have been treated with such disrespect after 50 years of dedication. Hold your head high !!
[quote=“drummerboy”]…Bernice was prepared to do her usual job of organizing the ANBT ticket-takers but when she started to call around to get things going, one of her volunteers informed her that HE was now the organizer and that she was no longer even on the committee anymore! …This was on Saturday and, still, the ANBT committee has not called her or gone to see her to apologize…
Do they not have organizing meetings ahead of time to plan who is doing what?
I agree she was treated badly and 50 years should be acknowledged, but perhaps if she only started making phone calls to get things going the day before the ANT started they may have thought she wasn’t doing it this year and didn’t tell them.[/quote]
What ever has happened to, ‘Respecting our Elders’ in our culture? We as First Nations peoples were taught by our elders to show respect to each other and especially the elderly in our communities. It seems that this contemporary ANBT Committee haven’t learned that very well by showing poor communication skills or the lack of it. It saddens me to read about what has happened to a grand lady tied to these games for so long. I’m sure her poor heart is hurting but hopefully not her spirit. I heard she couldn’t get a ticket and had to watch the opening ceremonies on T.V. while she only lived a few blocks away. Nor was she offered any complimentary tickets by an organization that she had faithfully put her heart and soul in for since the tournament’s creation decades ago. The founders of the ANBT committee that have passed on would be appalled on how one of the most dedicated and hard working persons has been somehow been removed without consultation. WHY? This would have not happened under the old guard nor should it under the arrogance of this one. If any of the ANBT committee members read this, get down from your high horses and show some compassion and respect to this woman and her family by doing what is right. People like these and other long time workers paved the way towards the overwhelming success of these games and deserve better treatment. Perhaps life long complimentary tickets and a an sincere apology would restore her faith in the organization that she helped to build. Better yet, a complete reinstatement for her and family would be justified. No one working within the organization should not be publicly humiliated like this again from any ANBT Committee.
Remember the elder’s spirits are looking down on all of us. Let’s not let them down. The ball is now in your court ANBT Committee.
I have to say this.
There was no public “humiliation” until someone brought it to this forum and anywhere else it may have been broadcast. No one mentioned the ANT doing anything public so that is not their fault.
My understanding of volunteerism is that things are NOT done for personal gain but for the benefit of an organization so suggesting that there should be monetary benefit/free tickets even in the case of a potential snub defeats the purpose of what this person has dedicated herself to.
Over many years I have volunteered for SPCA - no free services or adoptions there; ANT - I didn’t get any free tickets; Jazz Dance Competition - I was allowed into the afternoon sessions free but no evenings and certainly not the major events like Friday or Saturday night - not even board members got tickets to the gala when I was involved; various relays and races - no perks; I did it to help the community and the organizations.
An apology would be in order if this is indeed true, and perhaps a token to go with that apology would be a respectful gesture.
Well just to add my 2 cents , in my opinion it was very rude of them and still no apolgy to this lady . after all those years of volunteering , and yes it is true one of her daughters voiced her disappointment about the way they treated her mom and sister on Face Book.
I heard there was an apology at the opening from the board - what was that about??
If you don’t know both sides of the story then maybe you shouldn’t assume one side is right. I don’t know everything that happened but I respect Peter Haugan for all he’s done for the ANBT and I know this is not as bad as people are saying. And for volunteering, the committee members get paid, so maybe the first statement of Bernice volunteering and doing things for free is a mis-statement… I don’t like hearing how people call down the ANBT and yet it brings in thousands of dollars to our community and nobody appreciates that!
I don’t know the entire story, but I assume there is some reason for the decision.
I do have to agree with mossINmyTOES on the fact that being on the ANBT committee or any committee shouldn’t be about the “perks”.
[quote=“mossINmyTOES”]
My understanding of volunteerism is that things are NOT done for personal gain but for the benefit of an organization so suggesting that there should be monetary benefit/free tickets even in the case of a potential snub defeats the purpose of what this person has dedicated herself to.
Over many years I have volunteered for SPCA - no free services or adoptions there; ANT - I didn’t get any free tickets; Jazz Dance Competition - I was allowed into the afternoon sessions free but no evenings and certainly not the major events like Friday or Saturday night - not even board members got tickets to the gala when I was involved; various relays and races - no perks; I did it to help the community and the organizations.[/quote]
I highly doubt you have volunteered for one event as long as Bernice has. This is a special circumstance. It’s not like lots of people have 50 years of service to one event. I would think a lifetime pass to the Opening Ceremonies would be an appropriate gesture and, really, very small way of saying thank you. By the way, she herself hasn’t asked for this; it’s just what I and some of her friends and supporters think she deserves.