Wonderful investment

Dear editor:
I am writing in regards to the comments generated from the article, “Thunder’s fate could lie with election,” which appeared in the Sept. 3 edition of the Fort Frances Times.
I am a member of Couchiching First Nation who is proud to see and hear about the things that are happening at home. I left the Fort Frances area about eight years ago to pursue an education and a career as a lawyer, but I still consider Fort Frances to be home.
I am currently living in Waterloo, Ont. and keep up to date by reading the Fort Frances Times online.
I am one of the band members that Chief Chuck McPherson refers to when he says, “What is too much to give a kid an opportunity in terms of dollars?” If a ceiling had been placed on my education or on my opportunities, I would not be a lawyer.
The Borderland Thunder is a wonderful investment. It is an investment in team thinking. It is an investment in inspiration for the youth who dream about playing hockey. It is an investment in inspiration for anyone who has a dream or agoal that they want to achieve in their life.
It is an investment in our community and, as a result, it is an investment in the people who make up our community.
If I would have given up on my personal investment after three years, I would not have entered law school, I would not have graduated, and I would not be a lawyer. I am appalled at the thought that my community would give up on the Borderland Thunder after only three years and I am appalled that the vocal minority may actually push this to happen.
It is time for the majority to break their silence and support the Thunder.
I had the opportunity to read the Letter to the Editor that was submitted by Monica Morrisseau. It is my belief that the reason for her point of view is that she believes that if there is money available for the Borderland Thunder, then there should be money available for First Nations residents to improve their properties.
At the very least, I believe she feels that the residents should be given “improvement funds” before the Thunder receives funding.
I watched for years as my parents added onto and built up the home that my mother grew up in. To the best of my knowledge, not only did my parents do most of the work themselves, but they paid for it themselves. They did not look to the First Nation for monies.
It angers and frustrates me that there is a stereotypical view of First Nations people. We are stereotyped as lazy, we do not work for anything, and we are always looking for handouts. It just is not true, but it only takes a minority to paint this picture.
When I was in university for six-straight years, I maintained a full courseload and I worked part-time to help supplement the allowance that I was receiving from the education budget that was allotted to Couchiching First Nation.
I did not quit university at any point, nor did I jump from program to program, like many students do. I stayed focused on my goal—to become a lawyer. 
I began by pursuing my Bachelor of Arts degree and then I immediately went on to obtain myBachelor of Laws degree. Once I obtained my degree, I spent another year articling at a law firm, followed by four more months of intense classes as part of the Bar Admission Course for Ontario.
Through hard work and perseverence, I was able to fulfill my goal of becoming a barrister and solictor licensed to practise law in Ontario by the Law Soceity of Upper Canada. This would not have been possible without the full support of the First Nation community through the education fund.
No matter what decisions are made by our chief and council with regards to the Borderland Thunder, there will be those who support it and those who oppose it. As with any business or investment, there needs to be a business plan—both short-term and long-term.
Three years is barely scratching the surface in the life of a sports franchise as evidenced by sports teams in countless other leagues that have been around for years and decades. I suggest that Ms. Morrisseau look beyond just the dollars and look at what the dollars provide—weekly entertainment, community pride, opportunities, and growth to name a few. 
Community pride is perhaps the biggest and can be the most contagious. A little pride goes a long way when priorizing what to spend your hard-earned money on when you know that your property is becoming delapitated and unsafe. Why does it seem that people always have to blame others for their misfortunes?
Although I have not had the opportunity to watch the Borderland Thunder play, I still take pride in the positive events that are happening for the members of Couchiching First Nation and, most of all, I am proud of what this means for our fellow community members.
I had heard that one of our young band members from Couchiching was travelling south this year to try out for the Ontario Hockey League. If he comes to play in my town, I will make it out to that game to support him. 
Rest assured that my husband (who is not a band member) and I will be cheering loudly as we watch Andrew Perreault playing hockey in southern Ontario. It is because of our hard work, and because of the programs made available to us, that we, as members of Couchiching First Nation, are making our mark on the world.  
“A leader’s job is to look into the future, and to see the organization not as it is . . . but as it can become.” Author unknown
Yours truly,
Nicole Dawn Strachan Miller