Wellness Conference the result of several weeks of meetings says LLRIB chief
Uko Akpanuko
Northern Advocate
The Town of La Ronge was the site of the 2025 Family Wellness Conference on the July 8 at the Lac La Ronge Indian Band (LLRIB) Urban Reserve.
LLRIB Chief Tammy Cook-Searson said this type of conference was needed in the north.
“In January, we had a lot of issues and we identified the issues where support was needed such as someone wanting to detox,” Cook-Searson said. “We needed to streamline our services.”
Cook-Searson said roughly 70 people took part in emergency meetings every week with the goal of addressing those issues. She said they discussed hosting Family Wellness Conference, and eventually agreed it was needed.
The conference witnessed an overwhelming attendance of about 1,600 participants which included the guest speakers, vendors, information booths attendants, wellness activities experts and participants, day/evening entertainment professionals, and cooks that served breakfast, lunch and supper for the three days that the event lasted. The traditional treats such as moose, fish and pemmican were not left out.
“It was an opportunity to bring the Community together and work on the issues that affect us in the community such as … the drug overdoses in our community, etc,” Chief Tammy said. “The RCMP had said that the majority of the calls they get (over 90 per cent) are related to drug overdose. A Lot of the Emergency room visits were related to drugs and a lot of the deaths we have had are related to drugs.
“These are things we face and we work to see how we can help our community, give them an explanation and provide a safe space for them. It was an avenue for families to come together, heal together and just have fun.”
The guest speakers were sourced not only from the Community but all across Saskatchewan. Cook-Searson said the goal was to encourage the participants in their healing process.
Attendees also had a chance to access services such as salons and massage spas at the events. The kids were not left out as there were bouncy castles, bus rides, and petting zoos.
“It was really amazing and we could not have done this without everyone who participated and helped make this memorable event happen,” she said.
Conference organizers said they appreciated all who made theevent a possibility starting from the host – the Lac La Ronge Indian Band and partnering agencies, including but not limited to the following: Piwapan Wellness Centre, Town of La Ronge, Kitsaki Management, Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority, Cameco, La Ronge Band Health Services, LLRIB Child and Family Services, Northlands College, and other community partners.
Those who missed the event are welcome to join in the next edition.
–with files from Valerie G. Barnes Connell Jordan
