Serve•Assist•Guard•Engage
The people who make the SAGE Clan Patrol work are Blackfoot, Saulteaux, Cree, Metis, White, Black, East Indian, Jamaican, Sioux, Anishnabe, and so many more. “We all become Niitsitapi” walking with good spirit for our homeless, addicted, mentally challenged and marginalized. We go out into the community and do what we can to assist people. Whether that means going out at night and bringing people hot soup and something warm to drink on a cold night or going to Galt Gardens in the afternoon and simply talking to people.
We also have volunteer patrols Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. On these patrols we bring them bagged lunches, water, underwear, socks, seasonal clothing and other necessities. Another thing we do is pick up needles, pipes and other drug paraphernalia. SAGE Clan Patrol must always evolve or adjust its patrols in the ever changing addictions crisis of Sik’Oohkotoki/Lethbridge. From a patrol point of view some of the changes include, areas to cover for finding not only drug related paraphernalia, but also our people forced out of areas and into others.
The story of one man whose family resided in Lethbridge all their lives, and have all passed on tragically, and being the only remaining sibling, is next to incomprehensible, misunderstood and unheard of by much of the population. All we need is to simply listen and examine who the people are, living the insanity of the homelessness and addictions crisis. This is where the Sage Clan Patrol comes in. We are there to listen and truly hear their stories. We develop relationships with those going through this crisis. Relationships are key in opening doors to healing. Niitsitapiikimmapiiyipitssinni must prevail.