Long Plain First Nation has received a boost, as they continue work to rebuild the community following the July 20th tornado that devastated the community. A benefit concert was held last weekend in Winnipeg, featuring a variety of musicians working to raise funds to help the community. Long Plain Chief Dennis Meeches says they were thrilled with the response, not just from the various musicians, but also the public who ensured it was a sold out show. Meeches says the show itself managed to raise between seven and eight thousand dollars, while South Beach Casino provided a $10,000 donation, and another $2,500 came from the Dakota Ojibway Tribal Council. He says the funding will go a long way toward helping the community.

"It was a tremendous event, and we're very, very happy the musicians reached out to Long Plain and asked to assist in this way. We embraced that, and it was very, very good."

Meeches notes there is no shortage of thanks to be given to those who've helped the community since the storm. He says they intend to hold a formal showing of gratitude at their upcoming pow wow, which had to be delayed until September due to the recovery efforts.

He says the funding from the event is incredibly helpful. Meeches says their financial strength in the community was really buzzing before the storm hit, and the efforts to rebuild the community have definitely taken a toll. He notes there are still many displaced from Long Plain First Nation after their homes were decimated.

"We're still having the number of displaced people fluctuating between 150 and 170, so that's where we're at. The repair of homes has started, and that's coming along very nice, but there's still a long way to go."

One area of concern is the community's school, which saw no shortage of damage due to the tornado. Meeches says they're working hard to have the facility ready for students in the fall, something he believes will be accomplished. However, with whole families forced to live outside their home community, there are other challenges present.

The concern would be for the evacuees. We have a lot of families and children who are going to have to be transported from the hotels in Portage to school. That will be a bit of a challenge for Long Plain."

Overall, Meeches says he's incredibly grateful for the work of musicians, who came from not only Portage and Winnipeg but from around Manitoba to support the benefit concert.