WALK TARGETS DRUG USE

First Nations elders want to help end the cycle of drug use among
youth in their communities.

Kokums and Mosums Against Drugs and Alcohol have organized the first
KAMADA Walk marathon against drugs and alcohol Thursday through
Sunday. Kokum and mosum are Cree for grandfather and
grandmother.

The four-day, 146-kilometre walk will start in Sturgeon Lake and end
in Sandy Lake with a stop in Prince Albert.

Wanita Bird, a mentor with the Federation of Independent Schools in
Canada and one of the event organizers, said she and her co-workers
wanted to do something to curb the use of drugs and alcohol among
young people.

"We do a lot of work with families and see a lot of drugs and alcohol
in our communities," she said. "We knew we had to do something more.
We want to make young people aware that the grandmothers and
grandfathers in the community know what they are doing, that they are
slowly killing themselves, and that there is help there for them."

The walk will begin with a pipe ceremony and breakfast in Sturgeon
Lake Healing Lodge at 8 a.m. with the walk starting at 9 a.m. The walk
will stop for the night at Spruce Home Golf Course before continuing
to Prince Albert, then Shellbrook and finally Sandy Lake.

Teepees will be set up at each rest stop with elders on hand to talk
to young people about how things were long ago when there were no
drugs or alcohol tearing apart communities.

"There are a lot of people willing to help young people with their
problems with drugs and alcohol," Bird said. "They need to know they
do not need to be afraid to help out."

An eagle staff will be carried on the walk and will be left at Sandy
Lake at the end of the walk, marking the starting point for the walk
next year.

"People from Sandy Lake called us and wanted to join with our
community on this," Bird explained. "They see a lot of the same
problems in their community and wanted to do more to stop it.

"They will continue the walk next year."

While definite numbers are not available, Bird said organizers are
expecting as many as 600 participants. Information on the walk was
sent to all First Nations communities in the province and response has
been enthusiastic.

"We have received a lot of phone calls and even people walking into
the office to ask about the walk," she added. "We have gotten a big
time response.

"It's going to be interesting. And a lot of fun."