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COMMENTARY
This heartwarming letter came our way this month and we knew it was more important than any opinion piece we could come up with for this space.
Two Okanagan women have started something that has already spread far and wide and we're delighted to do our bit to see that it keeps on spreading. A memorial ceremony begun in honor of a friend who suffered a tragic death, held annually to continue a fight which was near to her heart against a scourge which plagues all First Nations communities, is the most worthy of causes and we greatly respect the people who have kept Sadie's Walk alive. This is the letter of invitation to all First Nations communities to participate in the walk. It was sent by Laura Miller and Sandie Trask.
We would like to invite you as a First Nation's community to organize a "Sadie's Walk-99" for our fight together against diabetes. The walk is always on Good Friday, at 9 a.m. Diabetes is becoming very common in many of our communities. Walking is one path towards healthy living. Our vision is that all First Nation communities join together in our fight against diabetes.
Sadie Muik was a 29-year-old Okanagan community member who met with an untimely death on Good Friday. She was killed when a logging truck tipped over and a load of logs landed on her van. Sadie left behind three beautiful children, Miranda, Megan, and Evan. To know Sadie was to know her love of life and love of health of those around her. Sadie was the community health representative in our community and a member of a diligent team of researchers for diabetes. One of Sadie's dreams was to have a walking club. This was the reason we started the walk after her death in 1996. The first walk consisted of about 75 people. Then Alex McComber from the community of Kahnawake, Que. had a "Sadie's Walk-97" along with the communities of Akwesasne, Que., and Sandy Lake, Ont. on Good Friday, 1997 in memory of their own loved ones.
It was awesome that there was a First Nations community from the Okanagan and two communities from Quebec and a community from Ontario walking together for the same cause.
There were a total of 500 people walking "Sadie's Walk-97." We felt a definite bond with them on that day. Then on Good Friday of 1998, more joined: Okanagan in British Columbia, Lake Manitoba, Little Saskatchewan, Lake St. Martin, Peguis, Fairford, Dauphin River and Jackhead First Nations in Manitoba; Kanhawake, Whapmagoostui, Chisasibe, Wemindji, Eastmain, Washaganish, Nemaska, Misstiggini, Waswanipi and Ouje-Bougoumou; Tyendinaga in Ontario.
Our walk is seven km but you can do as close to it as you want.
We also put signs up to mark each kilometre and some to do with health, stress and fitness. The community of Eeyou Estchee , Quebec had real cool signs up that said: "Smile, We've Only Begun," "Keep On Huffing And Puffing," "If You Need To Pee, Hold It," "Hooray, You Made It."
Some people walked the Saturday before and some people did the walk the week after because they couldn't walk on Good Friday. This year the Catholic women will be doing the Stations of the Cross during the walk. We have the community health representatives and the community health nurses to help with the planning of the walk, the volunteer fire fighters, and the RCMP for the traffic control, the youth group looking after the water and oranges at the three km mark, and the preschool/daycare children making posters. Many band members help in all areas: some drive up and down to make sure that everyone is all right.
We also sell T-shirts at a little more than cost price. At the end of the walk, Sadie's parents, Millie and Reynolds Bonneau and family and friends have a lunch prepared for all of the walkers. After the meal everyone puts a message in their own balloon to Sadie or to a lost, loved one. Then we all go outside and let the balloons go at the same time and say our good-byes.
We always take pictures and in 1998 we had a video camera. We are sending ur video tape to Robert Harris from Quebec. He said that he may be able to get someone to put all videos of all walks on one tape. If you can join the walk - even if there are just a few of you - please let us know. Everyone counts. We'd love to hear from you. We will answer any questions that you may have.
Laura Miller - 250-545-3800
Sandie Trask - 250-542-4674
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