With the issue of drugs, alcohol and addiction being prominent parts of conversation in the Portage la Prairie area, a local group is getting out there to help those in the fight with these problems.
Jonathan Pashe is a co-founder of the organization Warriors in Recovery, which holds various sober events around the area, and he shares what they are hoping to accomplish through their efforts.
"Yes, we are Warriors in Recovery, a vibrant sobriety support group based out of Dakota Tipi First Nation. Our journey is guided by the powerful well-briety movement, which empowers Native American communities to overcome addiction and reclaim their physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. We're not just overcoming addiction, we are rebuilding our lives, our families and our communities."
Pashe outlines what the organization does to help those struggling with addiction.
"Our approach is holistic, embracing the 12-step medicine wheel teachings to deepen our spiritual connection, cultivate emotional resilience, clarify our minds and nurture our physical health. We share our experiences, support each other and celebrate every step towards balance and harmony in our lives. We encourage each other to heal from historical trauma, reconnect with our ancestors, revitalize our cultural traditions and build stronger families and communities."
Coming up shortly, the organization is planning to host a sober dance, with Pashe providing details.
"It's October 19th at the Portage Prairie Legion at 7:00 p.m. until Midnight. There's going to be a light lunch served at 10 and there's going to be live music from Fred Acoby, and DJ Juice is going to be the DJ."
Fred Acoby is a musician and singer who performed at the first dance last year, and he shares why he feels these events are important.
"They had asked me to play. So, I came in. I've been writing my material. I play original material; I play some covers in there too as well. My original material, since I've been on my healing journey, I've been more focused on writing about the journey in recovery. My lyrics and my music kind of have a tendency to reflect on my healing journey and hopefully that helps out others when they hear the music," Acoby continues. "Come and, enjoy music and stuff like that and realize that you don't need to have alcohol or drugs to enjoy a fun night out. And that's what this is all about. I'm actually really grateful to be a part of this."
Warriors in Recovery meets every Monday and Tuesday at 6 p.m. at Dakota Tipi First Nation and they alternate between Long Plain First Nation and Dakota Plains First Nation every Thursday. To reach out for more information, Pashe recommends contacting them on their Facebook page.