Recovery camp seeking transition to winter accommodations
By Lethbridge Herald on November 1, 2022.
Herald photo by Ry Clarke
Alvin Mills, founder of the Kii Maa Pii Pii Tsin Healing and Recovery Camp, at left, along with volunteer Monte Kelman, hand out bannock sandwiches to some of the city’s vulnerable Tuesday outside the Lethbridge Public Library downtown.Ry Clarke – LETHBRIDGE HERALD – Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
With colder weather the needs of those struggling with homelessness can often escalate.
Hoping to help and spread resources to those in need, Alvin Mills, founder of the Kii Maa Pii Pii Tsin (Kindness to Others) Healing and Recovery Camp, took to the streets Tuesday to hand out bannock sandwiches to those in need.
Going around the city, Mills hoped to fill empty bellies while spreading the message about his recovery camp.
“Kindness to others, that has always been our mandate to support the at-risk,” said Mills. “We have been doing this for years. We go out and hand out lunches to those struggling out here and provide a little bit of engagement.
During the summer, Mills ran a recovery camp that was geared towards healing and recovery with Blackfoot teachings. The camp was situated outside of Lethbridge along the Oldman River across from the Thunder Chief Gas Bar off Highway 509. The operation brought addicts off the streets and away from the source of their problems, to a space where they could begin to work on recovery without obstacles in their way.
Currently the recovery camp run by Mills is on a break, with funding from the City of Lethbridge ending on September 30.
“We did keep it going, our last participant was there until the middle of October. Our last day of funding was September 30. Kind of ironic that it was National Truth and Reconciliation Day and that is when the City stopped. We originally had an agreement for three months but they let us run it for two months.”
Now with Mills’ pilot program done, he is looking to help revamp the program to accommodate for the winter months.
“Usually the shelter gets an overflow, and the city always gets caught in a crisis mode,” said Mills. “If we could have a facility that could address the Indigenous that are here in the city and it is only ten to fifteen minutes from here, we could start transitioning them.”
Mills notes that he has been in talks with the Blood Tribe Department of Health towards a program that could work in tandem with his.
“I commend Derrick Fox (CEO of the BTDH) for the good job that he is doing. We have established a working relationship with the Blood Tribe Department of Health. Hopefully it can flourish as we continue this battle.”
With winter fast approaching and the temperature dropping there is an urgent need for shelters to keep homeless people safe.
“I have individuals that have expressed support for trailers,” said Mills. “Hopefully within the week we can start. I will be reaching out to the Lethbridge community for support in any way they can. Once we can get individuals that have expressed interest to support the winter camp, we can see about creating the sober and emergency shelter.”
With a goal to continue his work towards sobriety and recovery through a Blackfoot lens, Mills hopes with the changing weather people remember to be considerate to those without shelter.
“Some of them are not quite themselves when they are on whatever substance they are struggling with. Just look out for them, make sure someone is around,” said Mills. “The hard hours are from twelve to six a.m. That is one of the things I’m going to suggest to the City. Possibly starting a patrol for them in that timeframe, because a lot of them are on their own at that time.”
17-16
I believe that funding should be addressed to the federal government and Indigenous Affairs. Lethbridge has also had funding cuts from both provincial and federal governments and rising costs from this crisis. Wasn’t there a home manufacturing plant on the Blood Reserve? Do you not have an arena or auditorium?
I believe the location of the ” day camp” is on reserve lands which makes it the responsibility of the Blood Tribe in conjunction with the Feds. Huge amounts of money work their way from taxpayers to the Band to address housing and other issue, though thanks to our PM NO accounting can be had for where this money goes. Mr Mills SHOULD be making his case to his Band and the Feds , but he has an easy mark in the mushy minds of civic administration who do not see that having had the ” homeless” dumped on them [ and having paid to maintain and clean up after them ] they are now being asked to pay again to have them “dumped” and maintained at a location from which they came in the first place.
Next step: If someone steals your kids bike you will be obliged to buy a new one and make it available when they need to steal another one.
Why don’t they use the Blood Tribe Kainai Multi-purpose Centre? It would be more than adequate. I am sure they have gym mats so they would just need pillows and blankets or sleeping bags.
I agree it is a band and federal government issue!