Posted by TammyCook-Searson. Originally posted by Lac La Ronge Indian Band
LLRIB hosts Family Wellness Conference to address mental health, addiction and crisis recovery(Treaty 6 Territory, Woodland Cree) Lac La Ronge Indian Band, Sask. The Lac La Ronge Indian Band is charting its own path to healing with a three-day Family Wellness Conference, to be held July 8 to 10 at the La Ronge Urban Reserve.
The conference will bring together Elders, youth, leaders, frontline workers and families for a gathering focused on Indigenous wellness, cultural revitalization and collective healing. Programming will directly address urgent community crises, including the opioid epidemic, youth mental health, intergenerational trauma and the long-term impacts of wildfires and displacement.
“This conference is about coming together in the face of pain, grief and loss, and walking forward as one,” said Chief Tammy Cook-Searson.
“It’s about supporting one another, honouring our stories, and walking a healing path together.”
The event features keynote addresses from Indigenous and national leaders, including former Hell’s Angel member–turned–youth mentor Joe Calendino, harm reduction advocate and former gang member Guy Felicella, former Olympian Waneek Horn-Miller, and La Ronge’s own Joey Genereaux, who shares powerful messages on personal growth and resilience.
Local voices include Elders, Knowledge Keepers, youth advocates, and first responders.
A Cultural and Healing Village will operate throughout the summit, offering paddle making, moosehide tanning, fish and moose meat preparation, fish net making, snowshoe making, carving, art therapy, healing tent, traditional medicine, birch bark, beading, Elder-led teachings, and much more.Daytime sessions will include workshops on trauma, addiction, land-based teachings, education pathways, and crisis response. Evening events include live entertainment, traditional meals and community celebrations. Children’s programming includes a petting zoo, bouncy castles and family activities.
“We recognize the pain in our communities—from the opioid crisis to the trauma of the wildfires,” said Cook-Searson. “This conference is our commitment to lead our own healing in a supportive environment, with our community members as the main focus.”
The Family Wellness Conference is hosted by the Lac La Ronge Indian Band with support from the Town of the La Ronge, Piwapan Women’s Centre, Kitsaki Management, Saskatchewan Indian Gaming Authority, Cameco, La Ronge Band Health Services, LLLRIB Indian Child and Family Services, and other partners.
