SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - The family of Angela Meyer, who has been missing since Nov. 27, is organizing their own search this weekend in the Ptarmigan Road and Rat Lake area, and are asking Yellowknifers over the age of 19 to come out and help.

They are also asking the public to check their backyards, and any areas that could be used as shelters, such as sheds.

All volunteers will meet at the Danarey Building at 9 a.m. on Saturday, where there will be hot chocolate and coffee waiting, and the searchers will divide up and comb the area until sundown.

"We'll meet there in the morning, there will be an orientation of what will be going on, areas we want to cover," said Candace Meyer, Angela's sister.

There are about 15 people on the organizing side of things, some of whom will be staying at the Danarey Building and other checkpoints during the search and some of whom will be driving volunteers around. There will also be two tents, one at Ptarmigan Road and one at Rat Lake, for searchers to warm up with hot chocolate and coffee.

"We don't know the number of the volunteers yet, that are going to be doing the actual searching," said Dean Meyer, Angela's father.

Candace said the family has no idea where she might be.

"It's hard to say. Anything is possible. (We're) just looking at every situation," said Candace.

When she went missing on Nov. 27, Angela, 22, was home in the care of her family on a weekend release from Stanton Territorial Hospital, where she had been receiving treatment for a mental illness. She had only enough medication with her for one night and the morning, and the family was about to go back to the hospital to ask for more medication so she could stay Saturday night as well. The last time she was seen was when she stepped outside to have a cigarette Saturday afternoon.

When off her medication, Angela becomes disoriented and confused, according to her family.

Candace said Angela has never had a problem with being at the hospital.

"She got along with everyone there and she felt safe there."

Candace said the family has really come together during this ordeal.

"We have our ups and downs. Some days it's just so heavy, but we hold together pretty good," she said.

Dean said there is a possibility that the search will continue on Sunday, depending on how many people come out Saturday and how much of the area they cover.

Const. Kathy Law said Trinity Helicopters was scheduled to do an aerial search on Thursday at 10 a.m. as part of the RCMP's ongoing investigation into Meyer's disappearance, but no new tips have come in.

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