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TSIIGEHTCHIC/ARCTIC RED RIVER
Olive Blake is a powerhouse. The 70-year-old Tsiigehtchic elder is known throughout her community for dedicating her time to helping others.

She's been an elementary school teacher, a drug and alcohol counsellor, a community volunteer and a pastoral leader at her church.

These days, Blake says it's the church that gets the most of her attention.

The Holy Name of Mary Catholic church is in need of repairs, Blake said. Its water tank is leaking and the bathroom hasn't been in working order for years.

Blake said she pays the fuel bills herself - $500 each month.

"There are people telling me I don't have to do that," she said. "I say no, it's God's house and I have to do that."

Though the church isn't in ideal condition, Blake still braves the elements every week to make sure it is open to anyone wanting to attend mass.

A priest from Inuvik is only able to travel to the community once a month, so Blake performs church services the rest of the time.

Blake began performing the Sunday service as a pastoral leader after a local nun died in the mid-1990s.

"After that, there was nobody working at the church, so I went there to do service of worship," she said.

Not even bad weather can stop her. Blake makes her way to the church despite freezing temperatures, snow or icy winds.

"It's really cold out, a lot of snow all over, too," she said about Tsiigehtchic's winters.

"Every day it's snowing and blowing."

Blake said while she used to do everything by herself, a fellow community member is now lending a helping hand.

"Thank God because I'm 70 years old now," she said. "Sometimes I don't feel good."

Before taking on her duties at the church, Blake taught kindergarten and grades 1 and 2. She then signed on as the community's alcohol and drug program manager, a role she filled for the next 14 years.

For Blake, her job and her faith went hand in hand.

On top of her nine-to-five job, Blake was also in charge of spreading awareness about the drug and alcohol program to community members who needed help. She also helped people to pray.

"I worked in the daytime counselling, and then sometimes I worked at the gym to tell people about the alcohol and drug program and praying with them and for them," she said.

Blake said it's important people talk to others who are abusing drugs or alcohol, especially youth.

"You need to be spoken to about it," she said.

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