Church expected to turn the tide

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Residents here are working together to complete a special project they hope will combat the fatal effects of alcohol and drug abuse, marriage breakups and suicide.

Members of the community are raising money and working without pay to build a new church for Peerless Lake, which was struck with tragedy about two years ago when six of its young people died after drinking xerox copying fluid.

The community has since pulled together and turned the tide in the other direction, says Peerless Lake resident John Cardinal, noting the tiny Cree community desperately needs a new church because the one they have now is "falling apart."

Cardinal explains Christian masses are currently being held out of an old school trailer, converted to a church six years ago. He says the condition of the trailer is "terrible" because it has no electricity and is scarcely heated by a wood stove.

The poor conditions prompted the Peerless Lake Faith Centre Association to start a fund-raising and building campaign early last summer for the new church. Work on the church, which can seat about 300 people, began almost immediately after the community raised $3,856 for building supplies. Cardinal, who is the centre's administrator, explains nine volunteers from the community earned the money by clearing land and making cut lines for oil companies in the area. With the aid of axes, chainsaws and horse teams, the job was completed in three days.

The money they raised was used to open a line of credit at a Westlock building supplier, which gave the community charge account totalling $9,670.

The church is now close to completion, only some interior work remains, but Cardinal says they have run into some "snags." He explains they have plenty of willing workers but are in need of qualified electricians, to get permits and wire the 48 x 32 sq. ft. church. To make matters worse, he adds they also need an estimated $5,500 for labor and more supplies.

Cardinal is not certain when the church will be completed, but he notes Municipal Affairs has assured him that the department will give him $3,500 for the church. He is still waiting for replies from local businesses in the area and other government funding sources and notes one High Prairie business has already responded and donated $100.

When the church is completed, it will offer "counselling through the Bible" to Peerless Lake's 450 residents and the 500 residents of neighboring Trout Lake, located about 25 km south. "We're using the Bible to counsel our people," says Cardinal, concluding Peerless Lake is a stronger community today than it was in the past.

"It's getting better all the time because everyone here is getting more and more interested in helping build our community up."