Wellbriety Walk and Feast takes place in the Red Lake Community

By Michael Barrett

Freelance Writer

       On Tuesday, September 23, 2003 another Community Wellbriety Walk and Feast took place, this time in the Red Lake Community.

       The third such event in a series of four, they plan to hold these walks in all reservation communities, and so far have held them in Ponemah and Redby.

       Sponsored by Chemical Health Programs, Equay Wiigamig, the Red Lake Tribal Council, the Red Lake Police Department, and others, registration began at noon for the event, where those that wished to run were taken to the South Boundary line on Highway 89 for a 10K run that would end at the Red Lake Powwow Grounds.

       Shortly thereafter, with the Kingbird Singers being pulled on a trailer and singing an honor song, about a hundred walkers marched from the Red Lake Fire Hall to the Fairground area, holding signs about Wellbriety and wearing T-shirts given to all those that registered.

       The event, coordinated by Larry Stillday, was about showing strength about who Red Lakers were and in part to reclaim the community.

       At the Powwow Grounds area there was, like in all such events, an open microphone for anyone to speak, food and beverages, music by the Kingbird Singers drum group, and dancing by about fifteen elementary students.

       The next planned Wellbriety Walk is set to take place in the fourth Red Lake Reservation Community of Little Rock.