Pubdate: Mon, 13 Sep 2004 Source: Prince Albert Daily Herald (CN SN) Copyright: 2004 Prince Albert Daily Herald Contact: http://www.paherald.sk.ca/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1918 Author: Bill Glisky Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth) 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." - --- MAP posted-by: Derek