Karen McOuat
Northern News Services

NNSL (Nov 20/98) - Now 25 years old, Northern Addiction Services wanted to recognize a few key people who helped get them there.

Past and present clients, MLAs, community workers, friends and family came to the presentation on Wednesday, during National Addictions Awareness Week.

The honourable Charles Dent, on behalf of Health and Social Services minister Kelvin Ng, congratulated NAS and thanked Winnie Fraser-Mackay for her years of service.

Trained as a psychiatric nurse, Fraser-Mackay began working at the centre in the mid-seventies and was its second executive director. One of her accomplishments includes the start of its rehabilitation program.

"It's not easy work," she admitted at the presentation, "you have to be tough."

Cathy Hamilton, who has been with NAS for 10 years, was also honoured on Wednesday. Detox centre manager Barb Deakin accepted on her behalf, as Hamilton was unable to attend.

Residents of Tulita made the trip to the Yellowknife centre as well. Freddy Doctor presented the centre with a drum, and emphasized the importance of spirituality in healing. The Sahtu community of about 500 is where Fraser-Mackay now makes her home. After leaving NAS, she was a director with the department of health and social services before moving up the Mackenzie four years ago. Fraser-Mackay is currently the mental health specialist at the Tulita Wellness Centre.

"They had programs to help people stay sober, but nothing dealing with the underlying issues," she said. "Now we're doing that."

Mackay and her successor, Thelma Tees, are both to have buildings named after them. Having worked in the North for over 20 years, Fraser-Mackay said she has no plans of slowing down.

"People keep waiting for me to do the big 'R', but I'm not ready for that yet."