FIGHTING ADDICTION DEMONS

First Nations Join Together to Raise Awareness of Healthy Living

DAKOTA TIPI FIRST NATION -- Members of several First Nations
communities in the Portage la Prairie area banded together to walk for
sobriety yesterday.

In an effort to raise awareness during Addictions Awareness Week,
about 34 members of Dakota Tipi, Long Plain and Sandy Bay First
Nations came together to participate in the inaugural event.

Walkers left from Dakota Tipi Community Gaming Centre, south of
Portage la Prairie, at 10 a.m. and headed to Long Plain's
Keeshkeemaquah Conference and Gaming Centre on Crescent Road West .

Some participants continued the journey by bike to Sandy Bay. That
80-kilometre leg of the trip wrapped up around 4 p.m.

"We need to get the message out. The more people we have out, the
stronger the message is going to be," Garnet Meeches, Long Plain's
National Native Alcohol and Drug Addictions Program worker, said in an
interview before the walk began.

"This is a step farther in getting other communities
involved."

Long Plain teacher Yvette Daniels embarked on the trek with five
students in Grades 7 to 9.

"This is a very important step for First Nations people to take a
stand on drugs, alcohol and gang issues on our First Nations reserve,"
she emphasized.

Long Plain student Jodie Daniels, 16, was among the enthusiastic group
of walkers.

"I'm here to support them," she said, looking at her
teacher.

Another participant, Darryl Taylor, said he wants to offer young
people hope for the future.

"We understand we've lived through a lot of oppression in our years.
We're all coming out and we're having more professionals on our
reservations here and we're all trying to make a healthy, strong
vibrant community here," said Taylor, who is a Dakota Tipi bus driver
and father.

"With the elimination of alcohol and drugs and more awareness to our
children, I'm sure we'd have a better future."

In his speech to participants yesterday, Long Plain Chief Dennis
Meeches said First Nations have dealt with many tragedies as a result
of drug and alcohol abuse.

However, he believes communities can offer people positive
choices.

"We need to take the whole approach -- through culture, through
tradition, through training and education ...," he said.

"We're hoping to provide counsel to our young people. They are the
largest segment of our population and they need all the attention we
can give them."

Dakota Tipi Chief Cornell Pashe said drug and alcohol addiction is a
serious problem for First Nations communities, but together, people
can help prevent addiction.

Pashe said taking action and raising awareness of drug and alcohol
addiction is the first step in helping combat the problem.

"We can't stand by and watch," he said.