National Non-Addictions Week hits Jasper

Running on the success of last year’s Weedless Wednesday, National Non-Addiction Awareness Week (NNAAW) is running again from Nov. 14 to 21 in Jasper with even more activities, workshops and discussions for everyone in the community.

The theme across the country this year is Living the Good Life, and there are plenty of things for the whole community to do during NNAAW in Jasper, starting next week.

Focusing on a balanced lifestyle, talking about self-esteem and touching on all areas of life, from friends and family to finances, leisure to recreation, is what the week is all about, says Tiffany Toussaint, an addictions councilor with Alberta Health Services Addictions in Jasper.

For the children, the biggest event is the (Wii) Weedless Wednesday, which is on Nov. 18 at the elementary school from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Put on in part by the high school’s peer support group, the event will have three Nintendo Wii’s set up that kids can play, along with some hot chocolate and other snacks, and is meant for kids to engage in positive and fun activities and is open for kids from all three schools to attend.

“It’s promoting positive youth in activities, because we know the more positive youth activities and structured activities youth have, the less likely they are to make decisions to use drugs and alcohol out of boredom,” says Toussaint.

“Last year was mostly focused on the youth and this year we are trying to focus on the community as a whole. We’ve got the parents thing, the panel discussions, self-esteem…” Tousaint adds, as there will be a discussion panel on how to talk to your children about drugs and alcohol at the elementary school on Thursday, Nov. 19 evening. Although this is only the second year for Jasper to run a NNAAW and last year there wasn’t a parent workshop talking to kids, Tousaint says that the Community Outreach Services ran one a couple of years ago with a fabulous turnout, and they thought they would keep it going this year at the NNAAW.

But NNAAW goers will have to choose on Thursday, as the same evening the Jasper Adult Learning Centre is holding a self-esteem workshop on dealing with emotions.

Erin Pettipas of the Jasper Adult Learning Centre says the workshop will be about how everyone deals with emotions differently, and will include a discussion talking about options available to people when dealing with positive and negative emotions, and how they can grow from them rather than feel defeated.

“It’s just going to be how to harness your emotions a little bit better and how to be able to control them more,” Pettipas said. The workshop will feature Hinton Mental Health representative Trevor Haas.

“He’s been an instructor for us for at least two years. He’s a professional, and he’s excellent,” Pettipas said. This workshop, which runs from 6:30-8:30pm, is for adults only.

Also aimed at adults will be a senior’s tea on Friday at the Alpine Summit Lodge at 2pm.

Earlier in the week on Nov. 17 at the Community Outreach Services there will also be a panel discussion on spirituality and religion, where speakers haven’t been confirmed, but Toussaint says there will be some from the pastoral association from Jasper coming.

All the events are free, and people can find out more information about events and times by calling Community Outreach Services at 865-2100 or Jasper’s Addiction Services at 852-3064.