NEW UPDATE  Click on the following link to monitor our progress

https://share.delorme.com/KarenMiles

UPDATE: We had originally set up this campaign by asking for about half of the amount we felt that it might cost to accomplish this and to finance the remainder ourselves. Your kindness and generosity is phenominal! The donations have wonderfully continued to come in even after we reached our original goal and they continue to help ensure that Omma's dream will now become a reality. THANK YOU ALL. 

Hi Everyone! My name is Karen Miles. I am fortunate enough to have been invited to join a dog sled expedition in Northern Labrador/Nunatsiavut. I am going to photograph and film this journey to help to document a vanishing way of life. Climate change affecting sea ice conditions and snowmobiles having all but replaced dogs have significantly impacted the traditional way of life for the Inuit. My work has taken me to the most wonderful places including Nunatsiavut and Labrador where I've had the opportunity to meet amazing and resilient people.

Three years ago Omma and his family gave me a beautiful husky pup and this experience has changed my life. I've always wanted to give back the same kindness and care. Some young people desire to practice and respect the old ways. One of them is Ommati. Those of you who have sailed with us in Labrador and visited Hebron know him as Julius Merkuratsuk. I have known Omma for 8 years as my husband and I visit his home in Nain, Labrador on our travels aboard our vessel Wanderbird (www.wanderbirdcruises.com).

Omma wants to live more in the old way, he loves dogs and knows how to run a team. So I am asking you kind friends for some asistance to help Omma join me on this amazing dogsled journey. We will travel over 1,000 km round trip.  This request is NOT for myself but for Omma. We need to purchase air tickets for him to meet with us in Goose Bay Labrador and for misc expenses like lodging for him before and after the trip.

Our wish is to help a young Inuk discover an important part of his culture. We will continue to encourage him to one day have his own dog team.

It is Omma's dream to be able to offer (in the form of tourism) the experience of living off the land and traveling by dog team in Nunatsiavut. Please help us so that we can make this happen for 16 year old Ommati Merkuratsuk.

What We Need & What You Get

We would need a round trip air ticket for Omma from Nain to Goosebay and return $1200 We would need 5 nights of lodging in Goose Bay Prior to departure and after retiurn  $690 and emergency snow mobile rental for backup and safety $1400 We would need food and some proper gear for Ommati $600

In return for your donation we will ask Ommati to sign and date a hand carved and hand printed arctic themed card by Karen Miles.

THANK YOU for helping us to make this dream come true for Ommati Merkuratsuk.