The spirit of Kelly Human resonated through the third annual memorial concert held in her honour this week, featuring a heartfelt performance by the Métis Prairie Steppers, the square dancing group she co-founded.
Friends, family, and community members gathered for the free event, enjoying music from "Fireball Paul" Shepherd, Colleen Bryce and local band Hicktown. In addition, there was a barbecue, raffle prizes, and a 50/50 draw, all celebrating the life and legacy of the late Métis community pillar, with proceeds supporting Central Plains Cancer Services.
Strong community support
Organizers report a strong turnout for the third iteration of the concert, mirroring the success of previous years. Sasha Thorsteinson, Kelly Human's granddaughter, an organizer, and a member of the Métis Prairie Steppers, express satisfaction with the event's reception.
"I think it went over really well. We had a pretty good turnout and we definitely had quite a few people that were interested in the raffle prizes, the 50/50. The BBQ went over very well and I definitely think people enjoyed the event as a whole," Thorsteinson says.
The 50/50 draw proved particularly popular, with the winner taking home a significant prize.
"The 50/50 take-home was just over $1200.00, so that part definitely went over really well," Thorsteinson confirms, adding that final fundraising totals are still being calculated.
She noted the event is still growing but has established a solid foundation, saying, "It was pretty similar to last year. We're definitely still in the growing stage, but for our third year, it was a pretty decent turnout."
Steppers pay tribute to founding member
The performance by the Métis Prairie Steppers held special significance.
Kelly Human, who passed away in July 2022, was instrumental in creating the group, driven by a desire to share Métis culture and dance with her grandchildren and the community.
"Yeah, absolutely. She was one of the founding members. I'm her granddaughter. And she wanted me to be able to dance. So she and Leanne got together, and they were like, 'OK, let's start this group,' and from start to finish. She was involved up until we started up again recently as she had already passed at that point," Thorsteinson shares.
For the dancers, performing at the memorial concert carries unique emotional weight and purpose.
Thorsteinson describes the distinct feeling this event holds for the group, saying, "It's one of those events that we look at and we enjoy doing because it feels like it's something that we can give back to her for everything that she did for us, and it's definitely one that I would say that we put a lot more of our heart into, not that we don't put our heart into every event, but it's one that we definitely pour our hearts into a lot more."
Event and steppers look to future
Organizers intend for the Kelly Human Memorial Concert to become a lasting tradition, reflecting her love for community, music, and Métis culture.
"That's the plan, absolutely. We're going to keep this going as long as people are interested in coming, that's for sure," Thorsteinson states.
The reactivated Métis Prairie Steppers, carrying forward the legacy Kelly Human helped establish, maintain a busy schedule sharing Métis square dancing.
They performed at the Boggy Creek event the day after the memorial concert and have upcoming engagements, including Saint Madeleine Day on July 20th, with Thorsteinson noting, "We have a busy summer planned."
See the full video below:
~with files from Ryan Simpson
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