BIRCH ISLAND—The Lafarge fish fry has become an annual event, continuing a legacy celebrating the 54 years that Lafarge has partnered with Whitefish River First Nation. This year, the event has become the Amrize Fish Fry, as the Swiss company’s head office, Holcim Group, has spun off North American operations with the Lafarge holdings rebranded to “Amrize.” The change in name, however, has not altered the relationship between Whitefish River and what is now Amrize.
“On July 24, our Amrize Whitefish cement terminal team hosted its 54th annual fish fry with our Whitefish River First Nation partners,” said Kelly Barrett, content specialist with Amrize in Chicago. “What originally emerged over 30 years ago as a way to invite members of the First Nations community to the cement facility has since evolved into grand tradition welcoming the entire community.”
Ms. Barrett noted that the event attracted over 250 people this year to “celebrate as one community and honour the rich history of the land our facility sits on.”
While the event usually takes place at the Fr. George Gardner pavilion located on the waterfront below the cement terminal silos, the potentially inclement weather saw the event moved to the Whitefish River First Nation Community Centre. Fr. Gardner was the facility manager for much of its history and is credited with helping to negotiate the lease agreement with Whitefish River First Nation along with band representative Esther Osche.
