Celebrate an addiction-free lifestyle

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People across Canada will have an opportunity to celebrate addiction-free living in November during National Addictions Awareness Week, Nov. 14 to 20.

The awareness week is a Canada-wide initiative organized by Nechi Training, Research & Health Promotions, based in St. Albert, Alta.

According to promotional materials provided by Nechi, the goal of National Addiction Awareness Week is "to provide information and promote a variety of activities that will serve to generate awareness on addiction issues that affect people across the country. Its focus is celebrating success in addiction awareness."

National Addictions Awareness Week "has become an avenue for effectively mobilizing communities in working together towards a common goal, as well as strengthening a partnership of First Nations, Inuit, Métis, and non-Aboriginal professionals working in the area of addictions," the information goes on to state. "National Addictions Awareness Week is a time to celebrate the joy of an addictions-free lifestyle. It is a time to honor each other."

This marks the 12th year National Addictions Awareness Week has been held as a nationally co-ordinated awareness week, although many provinces, territories and communities previously held addictions awareness weeks of their own.

The theme of this year's week is "Keeping the Circle Strong," a theme used in previous National Addictions Awareness Week campaigns, and originally used with addiction awareness promotions in the Northwest Territories. The theme reflects the growing number of people and communities who have chosen an addictions-free lifestyle, joining the circle and strengthening it.

A secondary theme for National Addictions Awareness Week 1999 is "It Takes A Whole Community to Raise a Child," another theme used in previous National Addictions Awareness Week campaigns.

Although Nechi is the co-ordinating body for the national awareness week, the activities that make up the week are community-based, with individual communities encouraged to plan events surrounding the topic of addictions recovery.

Last year, a wide array of events were organized by communities across the country. Among them: a family swim in North Battleford, Sask.; promotion of the First Nations Cadets program in Terrace, B.C.; a sober walk in Kugluktuk, N.W.T.; a lip sync contest in Inukjuak, Que.; and a bannock baking contest in Churchill, Man.

According to Leeann Herechuk, acting director of Marketing and Health Promotions with Nechi, last year's National Addiction Awareness Week had about 1,000 participating organizations. Organizers are hoping to exceed that total this time, setting this year's goal at 1,500 participating communities, schools and organizations. At press time, the number of registered participants was at just over 800, although Herechuk indicated the numbers aren't really reflective of the actual number of people planning to participate, as several groups sometimes join together to organize events and therefore are registered as a single participant.

Herechuk said Nechi is seeing more and more response to National Addictions Awareness Week from communities and organizations, and especially from businesses, which are using National Addictions Awareness Week activities to bring awareness about addictions and recovery into the work place.

Herechuk explained that, by having an addiction awareness event held as part of National Addictions Awareness Week, rather than just on its own, it makes people more likely to take part.

"It's an easy way for people to be informed," she said. "People are wanting to get healthy; families are getting healthier," Herechuk said. "Wellness is a major focus of the population, not just the Aboriginal community -– the whole community."

She noted that the number of younger people she sees coming in for treatment is increasing, and sees this as a positive sign, showing that younger people are seeking help for their addiction problems earlier in life.

As part of Natinal Addictions Awareness Week 1999, Nechi is again hosting a "Join the Circle" rally and sober walk in Edmonton. The walk will be held on Nov. 15, starting at 10 a.m. at City Hall, and ending at Sacred Heart Church. Nechi is also holding a poster contest, and a school involvement contest in which schools participate by having students organize activities in support of addictions awareness.

Any organization wanting to hold events as part of National Addictions Awareness Week or wanting information about the school involvement or poster contest can get in contact with Nechi by phone at (780) 460-4304 or toll free at 1-800-459-1884, or by visiting the website at www.visions.ab.ca. Information about events held as part of last year's National Addictions Awareness Week is also provided at the website.