September 8, 1996

Cruise with '

BCAA

See page 18

By Robert Galster
Contributing Writer

A black mark sits on
Aug. 25 on the
Berarducci family’s
calendar.

That's the day their daugh-
ter’s $1,800 custom-made bicy-
cle was stolen.

bifida, a birth defect which left
her paralysed from the waist
down, The U.S.-made bicycle
allowed Julia to pedal with her
arms.

“T can get around faster with
it,” she said. “It’s fun to ride
because it can go really fast.”

Her mother has a theory for
the motive behind the theft.

“T really think someone
would want it for parts,” said
Julia’s mother Helen. “Not for
riding down the street — it’s too
unusual.

“T don’t think you could sell
it on the black market,” she
added. ;

For the Berarduccis the theft
is not only shocking, but also

JULIA Berarducci’s custom-made bicycle was stolen recently from her North Vancouver ho
Julia, suffering from spina bifida and paralysed from the waist down, to pedal with her arms.

See Bike page 3

N. Vancouver natives buiid bridges
with band business developments

By lan Noble
News Reporter

TSLEIL-WAUTUTH Chief Leonard George,
who doubles as treaty negotiator for his band,

refers to the noisy, laughter-filled cafe where he

eating his lunch.

He calls the Gathering Place, located on band land, an example of his
band’s attempts to remove the dependence brought ar: by generations of
asmothering Indian Act and residential schools.

The Gathering Place likely doesn’t turn a cash profit, said George, but
it provides other benetits. ;

“The difference is the people working in here were reeciving welfare
cheques. Today, they are not.”

Workers have a schedule tok
_Dollarton establishment is up to ther

if they don’: have anybody sitting in here it's because of their work
and the jeb ther do. There is no one else fe bhune,” he said, sounding
more like a hard-driving, businessman than a congeeial oative leader,

Bur it’s in keeping with his vision of self reliance for ve band help:

and the cleanhaess Gf the oft

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ing band members learn how to create and generate wealth callectively and
individually. ft’s the goal of the band's driving range, ice rinks and resi-
dential developments, that have sparked controversy with some neighbors,

To understand haw far the band members have come to be able to run
the simple diner, George said, one has to know where band members
began.

Eight vears ago, when the turning point came, 98% of the band’s mem-
hers were cither drinking Or taking drugs, or affected by others who were,
said George. When you wake up iia drunken household, your selFesteem,
identity, security and education suffers. “You don't think you're worth any-
thing,” he said.

Then George ran tor the position of appointed chief, mainty to build a
recreational Qeility for the 320-member band. George had earlier taken
part in building the Vancouver Indian Ceatre on Kast Hastings and want-
cd to duplicate that success on the 365-acre Burrard reserve.

At the time, George also performed community development work:
shops with a spiritual bent. He believed that if natives brought back their
spiritual dimension, they could nd themselves ofthe hurt they carried, and
become stronger, sell reliant and independent. Bar iw only a theory

ier about a vear as chief | reaived. holy mackerel, This ae oppor
to prave my phiksophy and take a beyond theory and patat inte
practical Use and see iF it works.” he said.

So he began unplementing i He interviewed US diferent development
companies, tohd them his vision, tow Re wanted te chat, the large

PRINCE PAE 3

Monday: Sunny
High 19°C, low f0°C.

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NEWS photo Brad Lecwidge

The $1,800 bicycle was altered to allow