A group called Walking with Our Angels walked from La Ronge to Regina a year ago to raise awareness of high suicide rates in northern Saskatchewan.
The group consisted of Christopher Merasty, Myles Cook and Tristen Durocher.
Durocher also fasted for 44 days in front the Legislative Building in Regina after finishing the 635 kilometre journey.
To commemorate the walk and fasting ceremony, Merasty has organized a daylong ceremony in Regina.
Merasty said this celebration is to continue the conversation on suicide prevention that the group started a year ago.
“It’s definitely something that I’d love to keep alive, the Walking with our Angels Campaign, and not allow it to fade away but just keeping bringing it up, year after year.”
Since the walk, the Saskatchewan NDP passed a private member’s bill on suicide prevention.
Merasty said he was ecstatic to hear of the billed being passed.
“Honestly, I was in tears,” he said. “I was so happy when I heard that it was passed. It showed me that the walk wasn’t for nothing.”
Merasty said it also shows that their journey had a lasting impact.
“(It shows) that we’ve made the awareness that this issue needed to be addressed, and we needed to create the awareness to help implement something that will be meant to save a lot of people across our province,” he said.
The ceremony will start Saturday morning at 8 a.m. at the West Wascana Park.
(PHOTO: Led by Durocher, the group left La Ronge July 2 on route to Regina. Photo by Brandon White.)