The first annual Suicide Awareness Smudge Walk in Pelican Narrows is being hosted by the Walking Out of Darkness Project.  Organizer Veronique McCallum says there’s not much being done and what is being done isn’t working so a different strategy is needed.  She explains she lost her daughter to suicide last year, she was suffering from depression for a while before that and she was high risk and they never treated her in any way, they just classified her as a high risk then they couldn’t do anything because she took her life a few days after that and it was devastating.  She adds she thought she has to do something to help other youth that are in that position that feel that darkness and that worthlessness and she’s like to offer them a little bit of hope.

McCallum says the walk in Pelican Narrows starts at 2 o’clock at the ski hill with information cards, hope kits and support bracelets and ribbons available.  Another walk is being planned for Deschambault where there was a recent youth suicide.