An event to show people without homes and suffering from addiction that they are not alone, they are loved, have value, and are wanted and supported, will take place today (June 19) in Williams Lake.
“Calling Our People Home” is a grassroots movement created by the Bonaparte First Nation in Cache Creek.
They said it’s designed to wrap these individuals in support options and necessities as they navigate the many barriers they face.
The aim is also to help end the stigma around this population and help instill a sense of compassion in communities where those that struggle reside.
Indigenous Health and Wellness worker for Bonaparte First Nation, Danny Kennedy, said they’ve held this same event the last 2 years in Kamloops and are excited to bring it to the Lake City.
“We want to do cultural healing through drumming ceremony song and offer treatment options, harm reduction, as well as making care packages and hygiene packages. The first year we held this we had about 400 people show up to it. They have a beautiful treatment centre in Kamloops that gave away a free 30-day stay there and we got at least 3 people into treatment.”
Kennedy added that they have collaborated with every agency that is in the Williams Lake from the First Nations Bands to the on ground workers from Interior Health.
Bonaparte First Nation Youth and Family Coordinator, Angela Clark said they’ve had tremendous support from these agencies and feel they will have a good turnout for people providing their information for services for the individuals that are suffering from the toxic drug crisis.
“We are living in a time that is critical. We see this reflected on homeless camps in our communities and just a lack of resources that are showing up in communities because we just can’t keep up with the demand that is there. Part of our goal here is to bring more of an understanding to this crisis that we’re living in and I feel its really important that we acknowledge that we are also inviting the general public to attend this event.”
Clark said if the general public comes to the park they may hear something that will change their perspective, enlighten them somewhat in terms with what we’re dealing with here and why this is a crisis of this nature at this time.
“Calling Our People Home” will be held in Boitanio Park in Williams Lake today (June 19) from 9 am to 3 pm.
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