Lac Seul First Nation promotes sobriety, healthy living during March to Wellness

Jesse Bonello - Staff Writer

More than 100 Lac Seul First Nation elementary students, the Lac Seul Drug Strategy Committee, Elders, and community members united together to promote sobriety and healthy living during a March To Wellness on May 28.
Participants gathered at the junction to the north end of Frenchman’s Head and walked together to the Frenchman’s Head bridge where a barbecue awaited their arrival. All three Lac Seul First Nation schools participated in the march.
“Part of our community came together as a Drug Strategy Committee to try to develop ways to combat drug issues and problems that the community faces, and this is a stepping stone. I believe there are more initiatives that they want to plan,” said Shera Wesley, executive assistant to Lac Seul chief and council.
“It’s great to see our leadership come together, our support programs come together, and our students being front and centre,” she added.
“We’re doing this for them. We want to make sure that everyone, especially the youth, have a healthy upbringing, so this is for them,” said Lac Seul First Nation Chief Derek Maud.
Lac Seul First Nation education representatives were pleased to see the leadership, community, and students come together to echo the importance of having healthy, and sober, lives.
“I think it’s tremendous to know that the leadership wants to impress the importance of sobriety on the kids. I think that this came from chief and council and some dedicated elders, and I think that it’s a good impression for the kids to see that,” said Eric Bortlis, Lac Seul First Nation education director.
“It’s really good to see all of these schools coming together… We want to see these students have the best future possible. It’s really good to hear the chief and council and see them back us up in what staff and educators have been doing for quite some time. To have them come and join us today is a really big effort. They’re putting themselves out there to be our support,” shared Pam Capay, Morris Thomas Memorial School principal.
“It’s been wonderful to have all the kids come out and support the community. I think the kids have a lot to say, and I think it’s important that people hear their voices,” said Kristin Ward, Obishikokaang Elementary School principal.
“I think it’s great that all the kids came out, but I think it’s even better that we see all the elders and just a ton of community members out,” said Alisha Dasti-Hill, Waninitawingaang Memorial School principal.
The March To Wellness was the first of its kind but, moving forward, community members and community leadership shared that the march was just the first step towards organizing continued community initiatives that promote healthy and sober living.
“One of the things that we wanted to try and do is a concert-style gathering where we’re celebrating sobriety and celebrating healthy living,” shared Wesley.
“This is a long time coming, and I think it was way overdue. We’re not done. This is only the first step of what the community wants to do… This is a good day. We have elders and youth together, and the weather couldn’t be much better. When we were walking there was a bald eagle flying over us and, in our culture, is a very positive sign,” Maud concluded.