CAMBRIDGE BAY - For William Palviakok, the goal of putting on a healing camp this summer is more than just something to do, it's a personal mission.

William Palviakok, of Cambridge Bay, is channelling his personal struggles into a healing camp for the community, which he hopes will take place this summer. - Krista Wells/NNSL photo

Palviakok, 47, works in Cambridge Bay as a painter for the local housing authority by day, but along with his better half Annie Agligoetok, he's planning a healing camp for Cambridge Bay in July or August.

"I think this place really needs healing too," Palviakok said. "It's just to get everybody together."

So in his spare time, Palviakok is working on pinning down donations of funding and supplies, particularly tents.

The plan so far is to harvest caribou during the day, with multi-denominational church services in the evening. It will be open to all, but Palviakok has in mind specifically those who have lost loved ones to suicide. He is one of them: his 19-year old son Derek committed suicide six years ago.

Palviakok hopes "people that lost their loved ones by suicide or by any other means just...get together and talk about it in the evenings," he said.

In overcoming his own struggles, Palviakok credits Agligoetok and their 19-month-old child with helping him quit drinking.

"I almost got booted out from her place and we've got a beautiful young son who's 19 months- old now and I guess that's what really made me quit," he said. "I didn't want him to see us drinking all the time."

Palviakok said he and Annie see a mental health nurse once a week "just to talk." It helps, he said.

"I'm not embarrassed about seeing a mental health nurse or any other counsellor," he said.

In his remaining spare time, Palviakok also curls and, with Annie, is trying to restart the hamlet's square dancing club. But he's focused on the healing camp, and encourages anyone who wants to help to get involved. "Even though we're not professional counsellors or anything, we just want to help people."