Walkers believe they could make a difference

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In 2003 a handful of youths walked across Canada and saved three lives. If that was the only measure of the Suicide Prevention Walk's success, that would be more than adequate, says walk organizer and president Vincent Watts. But the walk did more than that.

"People realized that we don't have an international youth suicide prevention program. The United States has one and we don't have one."

On March 31 this year, a team of six youths set out on the second Youth Suicide Prevention walk from Nanaimo to Ottawa. The opening ceremony took place at 6.30 a.m. at the Snuneymuxw band office. Then, 40 people and a police escort accompanied the youths to the ferry terminal at Departure Bay where they began the first leg of their journey across Canada. Like last year, they plan to reach Ottawa on June 21, National Aboriginal Day.

The team, three of whom also did the walk last year, proposes to create an Aboriginal Suicide Prevention Day in Canada as well as an international youth suicide prevention program.

In Thunder Bay last year, a 13-year-old boy who had attempted suicide several times came to hear the walkers speak. They gave him gifts and told him about their personal experiences with the issue of suicide. Then they told him why he should choose life.

Watts recalled that they told the youth, "The Creator gave us this life as a gift.

We have to take care of it as a gift. To have life is a great gift and we have to learn to keep ourselves drug-free and alcohol-free and healthy physically, spiritually and emotionally.

The boy chose life, Watts said.

In Hobbema, Alta., another young boy who was contemplating taking his life heard the team speak at a local school and decided to live. A third youth chose life just because he heard about the walk and was so moved that a group of people cared.

In 2003 the Youth Suicide Prevention Walk raised $22,000, which paid for two vans and all the expenses of the group. This year the team hopes to raise at least as much money to meet their expenses. They also need money to purchase a canoe to use in Tribal Journeys, an annual ocean trek that takes place off the West Coast of Canada. The goal of the alcohol- and drug-free Tribal Journeys is to connect youth with Elders who teach positive cultural values. The many-week-long journey reconnects youths with their culture and instills in them a sense of pride. Watts said that Tribal Journeys has a strong role to play in suicide prevention.

In the big picture the dream of the walkers is to create a youth facility in Nanaimo where young people can participate in traditions such as powwows, sweats and other spiritual activities. The centre would also be a learning place with computers and modern technology where young people could take steps to gain a profession or trade.

The Youth Suicide Prevention Walk is scheduled to take place again in 2005 and 2006 for a total of four years. The purpose is not only to bring the message home but also to be symbolic of global unity, Watts said.

"Each year is for one of the races-one for the red, one for the yellow, one for the black and one for the white. We want to be a complete circle and that way we are honouring all the nations. We're praying for unity."

For more information on the Youth Suicide Prevention Walk, visit the Web site www.theyouthsuicideprevention

walk.com.