Elbow River Healing Lodge

09/18/2025

Tomorrow’s the big day!!! Come join us!!!

Reminder of the exciting day we have planned at the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre (SMCHC) and Elbow River Healing Lodge (ERHL)!

ERHL in partnership with the Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth (USAY), Untethered Technologies, Indigenous Mental Health (IMH), and the SMCHC are hosting a celebration of Indigenous culture and community. Please come join us on Sept 18th !!!! There will be an Indigenous Art Market throughout the day starting at 9am on the main and 2nd floor of the building. Food trucks (Coffee in a Tipi, Tequila and Taco) will be set up outside of the Urgent Care doors starting at 11am. Indigenous dancers, drummers and singers are going floor to floor starting at 12pm on the 7th floor. Also starting at 12pm the doors to ERHL/IMH are open for folks to come check out our space and experience delicious samples of 3 local Indigenous caterers (Coffee In A Tipi, Oki Frybread, Kokum’s Bannock Kitchen). Don’t miss out on signing up for door prizes in the ERHL space! Check out the augmented reality on our new tipi wall and experience virtual reality tours of Writing on Stone Provincial Park with the USAY folks up on the 7th floor. Meet the artists behind the murals on the main floor. Resource tables will also be scattered around main from Miskanawah, Aboriginal Friendship Centre, Indigenous Support Line, and Aboriginal Futures. Don’t miss out on seeing the amazing new window displays by Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park outside the north side of the building along 12th Ave! This whole day is proudly sponsored by the City of Calgary as part of the many Calgary's Culture Days events throughout the month of September. Shout out to the Calgary Health Foundation who also made this day happen as well as the renovation of the ERHL space. 😊

Everyone is welcome!!!

Please share the attached poster with your contacts and communities and reach out if you have any questions or need more info

09/13/2025

We’re looking for one more foodtruck for Thursday’s event. Anyone know one that might be interested? Tell them to email us at elbow.riverhealinglodge@ahs.ca

09/12/2025

Reminder of the exciting day we have planned at the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre (SMCHC) and Elbow River Healing Lodge (ERHL)!

ERHL in partnership with the Urban Society for Aboriginal Youth (USAY), Untethered Technologies, Indigenous Mental Health (IMH), and the SMCHC are hosting a celebration of Indigenous culture and community. Please come join us on Sept 18th !!!! There will be an Indigenous Art Market throughout the day starting at 9am on the main and 2nd floor of the building. Food trucks (Coffee in a Tipi, Tequila and Taco, and potentially one more) will be set up outside of the Urgent Care doors starting at 11am. Indigenous dancers, drummers and singers are going floor to floor starting at 12pm on the 7th floor. Also starting at 12pm the doors to ERHL/IMH are open for folks to come check out our space and experience delicious samples of 4 local Indigenous caterers (Coffee In A Tipi, Oki Frybread, Bhea’s Bannock, Kokum’s Bannock Kitchen). Don’t miss out on signing up for door prizes in the ERHL space! Check out the augmented reality on our new tipi wall and experience virtual reality tours of Writing on Stone Provincial Park with the USAY folks up on the 7th floor. Meet the artists behind the murals on the main floor. Resource tables will also be scattered around main from Miskanawah, Aboriginal Friendship Centre, Indigenous Support Line, and Aboriginal Futures. Don’t miss out on seeing the amazing new window displays by Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park outside the north side of the building along 12th Ave! This whole day is proudly sponsored by the City of Calgary as part of the many Calgary's Culture Days events throughout the month of September. Shout out to the Calgary Health Foundation who also made this day happen as well as the renovation of the ERHL space. 😊

Everyone is welcome!!!

Please share the attached poster with your contacts and communities and reach out if you have any questions or need more info.

08/28/2025

Miywasin Nohkom
(Indigenous Home Visitation)

REGISTRATION ONGOING Miywasin Nohkom, meaning “Blessing from Grandmother” is the Tawaw Family Resource Network Indigenous Home Visitation program. Where we support parents and caregivers of children ages 0-6. Through regular home visits, we provide gentle guidance on parenting, early childhood development, and connection to culture and community. Families receive wraparound support in a safe, respectful way, with a focus on strengthening identity, nurturing relationships, and walking alongside parents on their journey.

Please contact our Care Connectors to register or inquire:
Linda Collins: neconnector@miskanawah.ca or 403-700-8440 Lynette Persaud: nwconnector@miskanawah.ca or 403-714-4895

08/28/2025

Elbow River Healing Lodge and Indigenous Mental Health will be cancelling the Thursday Grief and Loss group. Please share this information with any folks who may have been planning to attend.
For those in need of support:
-There is a public smudge time at Elbow River Healing Lodge on Tuesdays from 10-11:30 with Elder Cecile Calliou (call to verify 403.955.6600).
-There is Elder support available in community at the Aboriginal Friendship Centre, the downtown Public Library, and Miskanawah.
-Hope for Wellness Line 24/7 1.855.242.3310
-Residential School Crisis Line 1.866.925-4419
-Elder Guidance Circle 403.260.2600
-Indigenous Virtual Care Clinic 1.888.342.4822
-Su***de Prevention Hotline 1.800.784.2433
-AHS Indigenous Support Line 1.844.944.4744 or 811

Thank you for your patience and understanding.

08/24/2025

Come join us at Elbow River Healing Lodge and the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre on Sept 18th for a celebration of Indigenous culture and community. Indigenous Art Market, food trucks, dancers, art, door prizes and so much more!!!

Generously sponsored by the City of Calgary and the Calgary Health Foundation!!!

08/12/2025

08/07/2025

A special screening of the acclaimed documentary "Kímmapiiyipitssini: The Meaning of Empathy" will take place tomorrow night (August 7) at Carnival Cinemas in Red Deer.

Directed by Blackfoot and Sámi filmmaker Elle-Máijá Tailfeathers, the 2021 documentary explores the devastating impact of the opioid crisis on the Kainai First Nation in southern Alberta, Tailfeathers' home community, and the harm reduction strategies that have emerged in response.

The film was produced by Seen Through Women Productions, a company founded by Tailfeathers, in co-production with the National Film Board of Canada’s North West Studio.

Kímmapiiyipitssini (a Blackfoot word meaning “empathy” or “giving kindness to each other”) offers an intimate and urgent portrait of community-led efforts to address substance-use disorders.

The documentary follows frontline responders, health professionals, and individuals with lived experience as they work to bring compassion-based solutions to the drug poisoning crisis.

One of the film’s central figures is Dr. Esther Tailfeathers, the director’s mother, who leads efforts to implement opioid substitution treatments such as methadone.

The Red Deer screening is part of a cross-country community impact tour organized by Story Money Impact, a non-profit organization that supports Canadian documentary storytelling on urgent social issues.

Clare Clovechok, the group’s impact coordinator, said Red Deer was chosen as a screening location due to ongoing local conversations about harm reduction, addiction awareness, and the recent closure of the city’s supervised consumption site.

"This is an issue everywhere in terms of, you know, drug use exists everywhere and unfortunately lives are being lost everywhere" said Clovechok who also notes that larger cities tend to have more resources, but smaller centers like Red Deer benefit greatly from education and dialogue around harm reduction.

Following the screening, a panel discussion will bring together local voices on the frontlines of addiction and recovery, including:

Elder Lynn Jonasson, a long-time Red Deer resident and respected traditional Indigenous Elder. Elder Lynn helped bring the White Bison Wellbriety program to the city, an Indigenous approach to the 12-step recovery model rooted in the teachings of the medicine wheel.

Dr. Thara Kumar, an emergency medicine physician who also practices in public health and addiction medicine in Red Deer.

Community partners supporting the event include Turning Point, the Red Deer Indigenous Dance Troupe, and other organizations.

The event aims to bring together politicians, health professionals, grassroots leaders, and residents to build understanding and relationships around this urgent issue.

The Red Deer screening follows previous showings in Wetaskiwin, Ontario, and B.C., marking the documentary’s return to Alberta.

Kímmapiiyipitssini has received numerous accolades, including the Audience Choice Award for Canadian Documentary Feature at the 2021 Calgary International Film Festival and the Ted Rogers Best Feature Length Documentary at the 2022 Canadian Screen Awards.

Doors open at 6 p.m., with complimentary popcorn and drinks available.

To get tickets:
https://www.tickettailor.com/events/storymoneyimpact/1751886

08/01/2025

Elbow River Healing Lodge and our friends at Indigenous Mental Health will be having an epic open house! We’re celebrating our newly renovated space, and also sharing the rich culture and talents of our community. Save the date and stay tuned for more info. 💜

We will be hosting an Indigenous Art Market in the Sheldon M. Chumir Health Centre at the event. If you are interested in having a table in the market, reach out at elbow.riverhealinglodge@ahs.ca.

08/01/2025

Come join Elder Cecile Calliou every Tuesday morning for smudge. All are welcome! 💜

02/08/2025