The Portage la Prairie Bear Clan remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthening community connections and eagerly envisions advancements as we approach 2025.
Coordinator Randy Lilley took on his role with the organization just under a year ago and says he has relished being a part of a great group of people.
"These are some of the best volunteers I've ever worked with. On a weekly basis, I get to see people on patrol who walk around to help us connect with the community or help us find sharps and needles and really just connect with the community in a way that I haven't been able to do before."
Lilley sets up events such as sharing circles, art nights, needle pickups and more around the community. He explains that these undertakings have done well.
"We're going to be branching out to the community and inviting more people and making them larger and trying to grow those events as time goes on," he continues. "You'll see us walk around the northeastern part of the city; you'll see us at Island Park and in Keeshkeemaquah. We walked to the Portage Mall and had a good time there. We're trying to be all over the city. We're trying to be everywhere. We're trying to be visible because the Bear Clans in other cities are great. But we hear a lot of, 'Oh, are you from Portage la Prairie?' Yes, all our volunteers who help in the city are from Portage la Prairie and want to better this community."
Creating opportunities for Indigenous women and girls and two-spirit to socialize is at the top of Bear Clan and Lilley's minds during the fall.
"The people who know what we do are very appreciative of what we do, and our regular folks that reach out for help are very thankful we have kids that stop by and ask for water or candy or whatever at the Bear Den. We hand out winter wear in the winter to kids when we see them.
He notes that expanding the Bear Clan in the future is just a matter of getting the word out on what they do
"That's something I'm looking forward to this fall and this winter," smiles Lilley.