Editor:
Recently I volunteered for the task of distributing petitions around Fort St. James to request more mental health services in the Omineca Lakes area. More volunteers will circulate in the four other districts of Vanderhoof, Fraser Lake, Southside and Burns Lake.
I was surprised and found it encouraging how many business owners in our community were more than cooperative in allowing the petitions to go up in their properties.
I was asked legitimate questions about the services that are available at present and the lack of some services. All were in agreement that more psychiatric and mental health services were needed.
Some folks were actually baffled by the information I gave them. It was a privilege and time well spent going to the towns’ business establishments and I feel compelled to applaud your concerns and time taken to allow the distribution of the petition forms.
As of now there is one psychiatrist who comes to Vanderhoof, once a month for one day for all the districts. That is just simply not enough and the need is great.
Many businesses in town were kind enough to show their care and allowing the petitions to be placed in their establishments to be signed. Please seek out these petitions and sign them.
Some businesses had no room to put them on the counter and I hope you will ask where the petitions are to sign. All that is needed is a signature and the town you live in.
Petition sheets can be found at: Mental Health and Addictions Services, Fas Gas, Fort St. James District office, Movie Experts, The Window Box, The Bakery, Dollar Store, True Value Hardware, Barton Insurance, Fields, B and K Hardware, Health Store, Suspenders, Ouellette Bros Building Supplies, Nechako Valley Community Services, and the Bargain Basement. I am hoping this will help notify people on a broader scale to know where the petitions are to sign.
I will revisit the places I distributed and have no doubts the people of Fort St. James will have them filled with names and addresses.
Our next committee meeting take place August 11, at the Stuart Lake Hospital conference room from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. and the following meetings will be on the second Thursday of each month, mark your calendars if this concerns you.
We encourage family members, clients and those whose lives have been affected with mental health and addictions, to come and have your voice heard and put community input into action.
Thank you.
Halijo Webster
Chair of Omineca Lakes Mental Health & Addiction Advisory Committee