La Loche residents erect signs for drug awareness

Having a drug trade in any community can be hurtful to its members. Several citizens of La Loche gathered together recently to bring this message front and centre.

It was an initiative started by the local community safety board, and earlier this month, people gathered together to create signs with even stronger messages.

Stephen King, a member of the board said it was born of a similar idea the community of Buffalo Narrows did last year. Thanks to teamwork, and supply donations from Methy Construction, a local company, the project came together at the local friendship centre.

“People were encouraged to come out and paint,” King said. “One sign which says ‘a drug dealer killed my dad’ is the most startling out of all of them. One of the kid’s dad’s died of an overdose. There’s a lot of pain and hurt because of what drugs are doing to their families. We wanted to let people know this isn’t acceptable and there are people in our community that are unhappy.”

He said the response from the community and on social media has been positive.

Trades in Sask.

Skilled trades need not limited to building homes

Apr 17, 2024

Raising concerns

Battlefords and Meadow Lake MPs weigh in on new federal budget

Apr 17, 2024

Tragic events

Sask. Gov't confirms investigation after former Pine Grove inmate passes away in hospital

Apr 16, 2024

“It’s already achieved what we were hoping – it gets people talking about it,” King said. “People become addicted [and] die early from complications from the drug use. We hope people start using groups like SCAN (Safer Communities and Neighbourhoods) or Crime Stoppers to report activity.”

Marina Janvier, a fellow safety board member is a recovering addict. She was the one who obtained the donation from Methy, and also got some carpentry students from Gabriel Dumont institute to help out as well. She said she hopes having these signs at highly visible areas in the community will bring people some insight.

“They are where they’re most visible in areas with the most traffic,” Janvier said. “In neighbour and park areas, and on the side of the road. We made sure they were bright and colourful and easy to read.”

She said having these signs sourced by community members is also impactful, instead of from an outside agency or government department.

“It’s to send an important message,” Janvier said. “Addiction is a community disease. It was important for me to spread the message; it’s becoming too common, and it affects everyone.”

kathy.gallant@jpbg.ca

On Twitter @ReporterKath