Indigenous-led non-profit organization brings "Napi's Gift" to Lethbridge mall

December 2, 2021

To mark the beginning of an 18 day event called "Napi’s Gift" hosted by We Will Recover, a teepee was raised at Park Place mall on Wednesday. 

We Will Recover is a newly established not-for-profit addiction support services agency that focuses on helping individuals, families and communities recover from the impacts and harm of substance abuse. 

In cooperation with the Sage Clan Patrol and members of the Crazy Indian Brotherhood the teepee was raised as a symbol of community engagement through different organizations working together to achieve a common goal. 

“It takes a spark to make a fire, and this is our way of bringing people together in a collective effort to raise awareness, education, support and help,” said Lori Vrebosch, founding director of We Will Recover

Napi’s Gift is about bringing education, awareness and support to help vulnerable people in the community, both Indigenous and non-Indigenous. 

“That’s why we stand together today, asking and inviting people to come out and participate, bring the best of what you got. The compassion, the love, the time to bring healing, hope and recovery,” said Vrebosch. 

Sage Clan patrol founding member Mark Brave Rock believes that Lethbridge is at a critical time in really understanding the seriousness of the addictions crisis and where it will lead to if immediate action is not taken. 

“Sage Clan, it’s been very well supported by the community and there are great people here in Lethbridge who are concerned. I hate to say it, but we need to step up a little more even for reconciliation,” said Brave Rock. 

He said Lethbridge is his home and it is important for everyone to come together and work for the betterment of the city and its community. 

Members of the Lethbridge community that stop by Park Place can expect to see educational displays, a meet and greet, toys for tots and a celebrated Indigenous author that will be reading to children among other activities. 

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Walking towards a better future

Sept. 20, 2021 

Marking Canada's first National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, a powerful and emotional day long community event was hosted in Lethbridge's Galt Gardens by a newly established and Indigenous-lead non-profit, called We Will Recover. 

With the entire downtown park decorated with orange balloons, streamers, banners and flags, hundreds of Indigenous and non-Indigenous attendees from the city and nearby First Nations tribes came out to participate in the day's events.  Featuring a full day of impactful educational presentations, participants were gifted with intimate knowledge and testimonials that were tearfully delivered by actual Residential School Survivors, 60's Scoop Survivors, First Nations Leaders, Indigenous advocates, educators, and representatives from many of the city's support agencies. The "open mic" format even encouraged some brave, impromptu and important sharing by some of the park's most frequent visitors - homeless Indigenous people, many of whom were clearly struggling with substance use and/or mental health disorders which were born as a direct consequence of residential schools.

Selling locally handcrafted and indigenous made t-shirts, flags, hats and other orange products featuring bold messages of "Every Child Matters," the Directors of We Will Recover said that the proceeds raised by the sale of their clothing and other products helps to offset costs and raise much needed funds to continue growing their support services as well as the educational community events offered by their new agency. 

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