Last Friday, Justin Boshey walked from Crossroads Public School in Devlin all the way to Fort Frances in an effort to raise awareness of the addiction issues communities in the area are facing.
Boshey is an addictions worker from Lac La Croix First Nation. He said he feels not enough is being done to raise awareness for the opiate crisis which is affecting the region. He started from the school in Devlin at 9 a.m. and made it to Fort Frances around 3 p.m.
“I see we are losing a lot of youth,” Boshey said. “Youth and young parents are dying, you hear about it every week and nobody’s really creating awareness. I’m walking on behalf of them.”
Boshey said that as he walked people stopped to offer him a ride but he told them why he was walking. Others gave him water and snacks to support his walk.
“It’s a crisis,” Boshey said. “We don’t want any more kids dying.”
Lac La Croix First Nations Chief Carrie Atatise-Norwegian said she was supportive of Boshey and his efforts.
“I think it’s a really important cause, in my community but not just in my community, in the region,” she said. “Any initiative for advocacy is really important.”
“I’ve been sober for 38 years,” Boshey said. “I’m doing this for the whole area.”
