OUTMA SQILIX'W JOINS UNITY RUN
Outma Sqilix’W kids to participate in awareness event
Outma Sqilix’W is sending 12 students to participate in the seventh annual Spirit of Syilx Unity Run, hosted all across the Okanagan Nation.
The run started as an effort to raise awareness among First Nations youth about suicide and violence prevention. The event is not only a run; it also provides workshops for participants to learn and grow as individuals.
The origins of the run can be traced back to Penticton, as seven years ago a group of troubled youth were approached by the Okanagan Nation Alliance and asked what they would like to do to support their community.
In response, they started up what is now called the Unity Run to bring First Nations youth together and raise awareness about these important issues.
One of the benefits of the Unity Run for everyone involved is a chance to meet new people from new places.
“The kids get dropped off and picked up in a van while they run. It’s a great opportunity for them to visit others because the van is usually packed full with people from all over,” said Carrie Phillip, one of the run club instructors at Outma Sqilix’W.
“This is my third one,” said Melody Kruger, a student from Outma. “Sometimes the workshop is really fun.”
“I’m excited to cross the border this year,” said Jenessa Kruger, another member of the Outma Sqilix’W run club, “Last year we did it too. The school didn’t go all the way, we just went downtown to Skaha Lake.”
As participants of the Unity Run do the relay, they carry an eagle feather in their left hand and pass it on to the next runner.
“If you drop the feather, they have to smudge it and purify it all over again,” said Melody.
Each year, the run begins where it ended off previously.
The 2014 event started in West Kelowna and the runners pushed into Omak, Wash.
Continuing the tradition, this year runners will begin the relay in Omak on April 30 and work their way back to Christina Lake on this side of the border by May 3.
The run continues every year in hopes of raising awareness about the high violence rates among First Nations people. The run also promotes healthy living and unity amongst the Okanagan people.