The next week will be very important for a proposed retreat southwest of Prince Albert that will provide supports for first responders suffering from operational stress injuries (OSI).
On Monday night, a public hearing will be held at Lily Plain Hall to discuss the property owner’s land use application.The Rural Municipality (RM) of Duck Lake council will then vote on the application the following Wednesday.
In the meantime, support continues to pour in for the River Valley Resilience Retreat. The latest cheque presentation was made Friday morning outside the Arsenal K-9 office in Prince Albert. Owner Jason Arsenault, a former long time member of the Saskatoon police officer, is very supportive of the project.
Prince Albert Daily Herald
Local UCCO president John Lambiris, right, presents a donation to the RVRR, accepted by co-founder Michelle McKeaveney, accompanied by her service dog, Scooter. (Peter Lozinski/Daily Herald)
The first time John Lambiris walked down the forest path at the future home of the River Valley Resilience Retreat (RVRR), he was taken aback by the calmness of the bush.
“It’s very peaceful and relaxing,” he said as he reached a small clearing on the dirt path that leads from a pasture to the banks of the North Saskatchewan River.
“There’s a calmness here that just allows you to be in the moment.”
Prince Albert non-profit working to create healing retreat for first responders, families cbc.ca - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from cbc.ca Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
SASKATOON Fundraising is underway for an outdoor getaway that will help public safety workers struggling with mental illnesses. The River Valley Resilience Retreat will be available for anyone in Canada on the front lines of public safety, such as paramedics, police, court staff, doctors, nurses and correctional officers, and their families. The organization recently launched a GoFundMe with a $350,000 goal. The retreat will be located on more than 100 acres along the North Saskatchewan River in the R.M. of Duck Lake. Jeff Reeder, a firefighter in Prince Albert, is one of the founders of the non-profit organization. He said the retreat will provide alternative treatment to “conventional methods that might not be best-suited for everyone,” such as medication.
SASKATOON Cody Demerais says talking about his past experiences has helped improve his mental health. He’s been vocal about his struggles with mental health and shares his personal journey with youth at schools and various speaking engagements to encourage others to seek out counselling and other supports they need to live better lives. He says he lives with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He talks about his past which includes a bad car accident, addictions and says when he was 18-years-old he tried to take his own life. “I definitely believe when you carry something traumatic, like a situation that happened in your life that was very upsetting and very disturbing, and if you keep it to yourself, it holds the power over you, a power that is stronger than you know,” Demerais says.