INUVIK - While the 20 or so participants of Sunday's annual sober walk moved briskly along Mackenzie Road against the blustery wind, Winston Moses and his wife Martha slowed to their own comfortable pace, still clutching signs reading National Addictions Awareness Week.

Winston Martha Moses braved the bitter cold to take part in Sunday's sober walk. - Andrew Rankin/NNSL photos

They finished the walk that stretched from the post office to Ingamo Hall, a kickoff event for National Addictions Awareness Week that will run until Saturday with several community activities planned.

For Winston, the walk has special significance: being sober for four years. He felt a responsibility to participate in the weekend event that brought residents, including professional counsellors, together to shed light on a serious problem facing Inuvik and many other communities.

"It's very important for those struggling with addiction to realize that people are behind them," he said. "This does that. I support them, those who have an addiction of some sort because it's very hard on them even though they truly want to break away from it."

A father of five and grandfather of eight, Moses said through his alcohol addiction he lost many good jobs, as well as friends and put a serious strain on family relationships.

"I had a problem with alcohol. I was dependent on it. Without it I couldn't do anything."

After the walk ended Moses led an emotional candlelight dedication ceremony at Ingamo Hall. Participants gathered in a circle to light a candle dedicated to someone affected by addiction. A Gwich'in elder started the ceremony with a moving prayer for those struggling with addictions.

Moses said he still gets the urge to drink occasionally but he chooses to ignore the temporary cravings.

"I think about the positives, good health, associating with good people," said Moses. "When I was drinking nobody associated with me. Now I have all kinds of friends. I can walk downtown or to the shopping mall without feeling ashamed of my actions."

Seventeen-year-old Preston Beaulieu participated in the afternoon event representing the youth centre. He said the experience showed him that there are several residents genuinely willing to reach out to others in need.

"There are quite a few people that actually care about the community. I saw that today," said Beaulieu. "I know a lot of young people who are addicted drugs and alcohol. They need to know this."

Jo-Ellen Lyslo, a counsellor at Samuel Hearne Secondary school, echoed that statement.

"There is another way," she said. "There is community support when they are ready to stop using alcohol and drugs."

Currently the Gwich'in Tribal Council and Inuvialuit Regional Corporation both offer a safe community location where people can come for support and counselling can be arranged. The Inuvik Community Counselling Program also offers professional counselling for residents of all ages dealing with addiction.

The constant challenge, Moses said is ensuring those struggling with addictions understand that their are people in the community that care and can offer help.

"They have to realize that they have support," he said. "When you fail to recognize this you just keep on going. The minute you know people are behind you, you think positive and you can gather the strength to change."

For a list of addiction support groups in Inuvik, visit the Inuvik Interagency Committee Office at 11 Kingmingya Road.