Blue Sky Centre: preparing for next step

By Rick Garrick

THUNDER BAY –With its relaxing sky-blue interior and laid-back atmosphere, the Blue Sky Community Healing Centre offers a welcoming space for people on a healing path in Thunder Bay’s south-side downtown core.

“The spiritual guidance we received said we needed to be here to shine a bright light,” says Cindy Crowe, lodge keeper and community coordinator. “You’ve got the bar right across the street, the urban reserve, which is the Victoriaville Centre, you’ve got the John Howard Society, the Shelter House, you’ve got three methadone clinics all within a block or two. We’re in a very good location to assist people.”

Crowe, a Lake Helen (Red Rock) citizen, opened the healing centre in October 2013 after beginning renovations in May. She and a group of Blue Sky Community Healing Centre board members and volunteers refinished the hardwood floors and painted the 18-foot walls and ceilings over the summer months.

“The walls and ceilings are all painted like a sky, complete with clouds,” Crowe says. “And we’ve got the four colours hanging in the centre. It is considered an indoor teaching lodge.”

The healing centre has hosted a variety of community activities since opening, including an open mike, dry dances, book studies, community forums, ceremonies and sharing circles.

Crowe says the healing centre’s goal is to get people prepared for their next step in life.

“We’re starting to get ramped up to be working more like a pre-employment program. Perhaps someone has come out of rehab or come out of being incarcerated and is looking for a way to be employed. Or perhaps they want to open up their own business.

“They need to understand why they are here — what is my passion, what do I really like doing,” Crowe says. “What we find is if we can help people with their passion, then a lot of physical or social or emotional issues start to fall off on their own naturally.”

She recalls the story of two young homeless visitors who are now employed.

“They started out at the Shelter House.They just needed a little bit of TLC. Sometimes that might mean all they want is a hug, and there’s lots of hugs to go around here. Sometimes it means they want to sit by the drum and drum a song and feel the power there. Maybe it could be a card reading — we never know what it is and it doesn’t matter to me what vehicle they use to get there just so long as they do.”

Leo Ishabid, a Blue Sky board member from Eabametoong, says the healing centre is open to everyone.

“That blue sky brings us unity,” Ishabid says. “It’s all about getting together, healing together. Everything we do around here is based on healing. We deal with nutrition and we’re trying to promote healthy lifestyle.”

Ishabid enjoys participating in many of the different events at the healing centre, including ceremonies, dances and the youth and Elders program.

“Last week we had a bunch of school kids here  for the youth and Elders program,” Ishabid says. “It’s all about teaching. This is a teaching lodge and I’m still learning. It doesn’t matter how old you are, you’re still learning.”