The community of Morley came together on Thursday (July 26) to raise awareness and be proactive in their approach in regards to substance use. 

A Summer Jam Session featuring elements of both the past and future were highlighted at the event, from traditional drumming and dancing to rap and the freedom of self-expression.

Denise Mitchell, a Prevention Coordinator with the Stoney Health Centre, says optic wise it might not have looked like many people attended but they served close to 400 individuals. In comparison to 2017's 'Meth Awareness Walk', Mitchell was not disappointed. "We don't really look at numbers as it being a success or not, we look at feedback from the community members. Whether we have 1,2, 3, 5, or 100... as long as we have people come out to support them. The elders were pleased with the event and we had very positive comments from them. They liked that the young people had an opportunity to be more involved and express themselves. They think changes can happen because they have faith that the youth are going to lead that change."

Taking all feedback seriously, a prominent community member even asked if they would pay a visit to Eden Valley who are also struggling with many of the same issues. "Remarks and comments like that make me feel satisfied that we are doing a good thing."

Rather than focusing on the challenges, Mitchell shares the main focus will remain on the positives. "The whole idea behind the event was to celebrate the youth. We have youth who have been doing the 'Refreshed' program, we need to encourage our youth to start looking at themselves and start building up their self-worth and know they are important. There isn't a whole lot of programs in the community that focuses on youth building strength, resiliency, self-esteem and empowerment and that is what we want to be able to do."

The Morley community will continue to bring more initiatives forward that focus on creating a positive vibe while still providing resources and how residents can access various programs. 

A community breakfast program will be offered each month on every third Wednesday beginning August 15th and is anticipated to run for several months. "We found out from other community members that there are a lot of people who are facing challenges that go without a meal on a daily occurrence." The goal is to bring as many community members together and start engaging because as a professional that is a crucial part of how we are going to be successful.

Suicide Prevention Month is September and community members can anticipate heavy engagement in November for Drug Awareness Week. "We want to make sure we reach more members through the events. We are trying to be proactive in making sure the events we plan are planned ahead of time and will be well advertised to give community members access."

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