Several youth from the Black Lake First Nation are cycling 1500 kilometers from their home community in northern Saskatchewan to Lac St. Anne Alberta to raise awareness to suicide prevention.
The youth aged 13 to 27 have already completed more than 600 kilometers, cycling up to nine hours per day.
“Its to get our young people motivated and to challenge themselves on this bike ride and to understand our faith an culture,” cycling coordinator Janella Boneleye said. “This journey is to help them experience what’s out there, how to overcome challenges in life and that there is more to life.”
This is the third annual bike-a-thon.
With youth suicide becoming a major issue in northern Saskatchewan, Boneleye says she hopes the youth cycling will not label themselves and discover who they really are.
The group spent Canada Day in La Ronge, resting.
(Photo: Black Lake youth. Credit Janella Boneleye.)