The week-long event commenced with the Opening Reception on Monday, June 3. Participants enjoyed listening to the Robert J. Lee East school choir who sang "Save the Rain", a song written specifically for the Festival, by one of their teachers, Craig D. Perkin.

Radio talk show host and Brampton resident, Ted Woloshyn hosted the event, and former meteorologist, Susan Hay, host of Global's "Heart of the City" spoke about volunteerism and educating children about our precious resource.

Regional Chair Kolb and Chief Administrative Officer, Roger Maloney spoke about the role the Region plays in supplying quality water to Peel residents. Other speakers included the Commissioner of Planning, Nick Tunnacliffe, who department led this year's event, along with Brampton MPP Joe Spina, who brought greetings on behalf of the Province of Ontario.

Regional Councillor Gael Miles, Brampton City Councillor Linda Jeffrey and Craig Mather, CAO, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority welcomed the children to the Festival.

As part of the "Flowing Waters Ceremony", commissioned for the Opening Reception, children from participating schools built a "sacred circle", which is a physical representation of the medicine wheel - with each "corner" becoming a symbol of the 4 directions of the earth and the four human races. There were four elders serving as the "Gatekeepers" of the circle.

The Waters of Life Vessel, a large crystal, was placed in the centre of the sacred circle, and during the ceremony, the children and dignitaries entered the circle through a gateway and joined their water in the vessel.

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Revised: Tuesday March 02 2010

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