Nibinamik walkers take to road in memory of lost loved ones

Philip Oskineegish was walking around Summer Beaver with community member and cousin Paul Oskineegish one day when he mentioned he wanted to do a walk-a-thon from Pickle Lake to Thunder Bay.
The reason: to honour the memories of community members who died in a plane crash Sept. 11, 2003.
That plane crash, according to the members of the walk-a- thon, left a hole in the community that is still apparent today. Seven community members died that day.
Paul Oskineegish said he is participating in the walk to show his respect, saying that he didn’t do so at the time of the incident. Paul is a youth worker and he is trying to get knowledge from his fellow walkers to better serve his community.
The group left the Pickle Lake frontier on the morning of July 11. When Wawatay met them on the road at around 11 a.m., they were about 18 kilometres from the turn off to Sioux Lookout.
Paul said the walk was going to be a challenge for him, even though he used to run often.
To pass the time, and keep things positive, the walkers told stories relating to things that had happened in their lives and talked about hockey.
Paul said it was hard to comfort the grievers of the crash, adding that he was only able to hug one person.
Richard Oskineegish lives in Thunder Bay, but was asked by his uncle Philip and his mother to participate in the walk.
Richard asked for a good pair of shoes and supplies to help him, such as bandages and anti- blister cream.
Richard said that his group walks about three or four hours before switching with the people in the van.
He said that the walk has been a good experience and that the guys had shared some good, confidential stories. Richard spoke of a meeting he shared with Sophie Wabasse, who lost her husband, Mike Wabasse in the crash. He said she came up to him, saying she would pray for him on his journey. Richard is hopeful that people will hear about the walk and support what they’re doing.
Dominic Mckay is a youth who is participating in this walk to show people that he cared and was effected by the loss.
He said that the atmosphere is pretty positive.
Mckay said that the pain and loss of the crash is still present in the community. He said he’s not sure how, but it’s “just there.”
Ricky Yellowhead, a Summer Beaver community member, said that he wanted to support his community and show them that he cared. He said that so far it had been a good experience and that he had met a lot of people along the way.
“Sometimes they stop to shake our hands or pass by and honk [in support],” said Yellowhead.
Yellowhead said that the group members are good at motivating each other and they were all pretty close.
Yellowhead has seen firsthand the pain and loss that affected the community.
“Sometimes I see the family members of those lost in the crash and I can see the pain and hurt in their faces,” said Yellowhead. Yellowhead knew Mike Wabasse; Sophie Wabasse is his aunt. Lawrence Yellowhead, another crash victim, was his cousin.
Yellowhead said his group estimated the trip would take 10 more days as of July 14.
In total, there were nine men walking in intervals with each other, followed by a van that held all of their supplies.
As of July 15, the walkers had made it to Sioux Lookout.