Founder of Yukon's Blue Feather Music Festival wins GG award

Gary Bailie refers to an old proverb when he tries to sum up his journey with Whitehorse's Blue Feather Music Festival.

"If you want to go fast, then you travel alone. If you want to go far, then you travel together."

He founded the festival 18 years ago in memory of his late partner.

The festival, now held eachfall, is a celebration of Indigenousmusic from across Canada. It's a substance-free, two-day event, which is largely run and organized by young peoplewho are given the opportunity to learn new skills.

As the festival's lead organizer,Bailiehas been awarded a Governor General's Meritorious Service award. It was presented to him by outgoing Yukon commissioner Doug Phillips at a ceremony in Whitehorse on Wednesday afternoon.

It was Phillips' last official function as commissioner before retiring.

"One of the things I focused on my term was the Commissioner's Awards in recognizing Yukoners for their good deeds," he said.

"I think [Bailie]is just an example of what Yukoners do in this territory to make it such a great place. They don't just volunteer for one organization, they help out people wherever they canand Gary is a champion in that."

Three years ago, Bailie was also given a Governor General's Caring Canadian award for his work with the Kwanlin KoyotesSki Club.

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Mentoring young people

Bailie,a member of the theKwanlinDnFirst Nation, says the Blue Feather festival was initially intended to bea one-off event, but its success kept it going.

"Year after year, people everybody just kept coming back and saying, 'Hey, let's do this again,'" Bailiesaid. "The whole concept has been really embraced by a lot of people."

At the festival, young people are mentored in various roles, from stage managementto audio and lighting production.

"These skills are transferable they can take them on and become professionals in the field if they like to," Bailie said.

"For anybody who thinks the festival is just a bunch of kids fooling around, boy I'll tell you they've got a surprise, because the festival production value is over the top!"

Bailieis well-known around Whitehorse not just for his work with Blue Feather, but also the KwanlinKoyotesSki Club.

Bailiewas once a National Junior ski team member, and now runs theclub as a way to helpyoung people stay healthy, activeand on the land.He grooms and maintains a small network of public-use trails inWhitehorse's McIntyre subdivision.

The program has grown a lot over the yearsand he said it's a big undertaking.

"When you have the kids going on a schedule, the last thing you want to do is disappoint them," he said.

On top of all those commitments, Bailie's also raising his two-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter.

'One of the most selfless individuals'

Sean Sheardown, a long-time friend, saidnobody deserves a Meritorious Service award more than Bailie.

... at the end of the day it's the team that gets it done.- Gary Bailie

"The entire time I have known him, he is just one of the most selfless individuals you are ever going to meet, and is always looking to see how he can contribute to the community, and to help other people out, and give out his time to make other people's better," Sheardown said.

Bailie said he's honoured to receive the award, but insists the festival is always a team effort.

"I am dedicating this award to the Blue Feather team, because we are a team," he said.

"Although I am taking a leading role in it and producing it and everything, at the end of the day it's the team that gets it done."