Jorge Barrera
Northern News Services

Coppermine (Feb 04/02) - After 10 long months, calling for hope in Kugluktuk is easier today. The community's suicide hot-line, 982-3812, is back in operation.

The federal Department of Health came up with $102,000 to run the service as a three-month pilot project beginning last week, said Rachael Horn, community wellness co-ordinator.

Horn said organizers hope to receive funding from the Aboriginal Healing Foundation to fund the phone line for three years.

"This was a need the hamlet identified when the previous operators of the hotline left the community," said Horn.

Since 1997 Kugluktuk has grieved 15 suicides.

Harold and Arlene Coomber ran the hotline from their home for a year until they moved to Yellowknife almost a year ago. The hamlet tried to fill the gap but could find no volunteers.

Now with the new funding the wellness centre has funding for four telephone counsellors.

Denise Klengenberg, 20, is one of those counsellors.

She's no stranger to suicide. One of her friends took her own life and she's talked to other friends who seriously contemplated doing the same.

"It made me feel scared thinking they might actually do it," said Klengenberg. "I shared my feelings with them and it helped."

Horn said Klengenberg and her three companions will be trained in crisis prevention and "will be able to do whatever job they want to after that."

Horn said the hamlet is also using some of the funds to initiate a high-risk children's workshop for family and community workers who deal with high-risk children.

The workshop is scheduled for Feb 25.