Swift Current youth treatment centre Dorie's House is inviting the southwest community to attend its upcoming symposium, 'Empowerment Through Recovery.' 

Two guest speakers will present their personal stories of recovery while attendees enjoy a dinner at the Living Sky Casino on Saturday night. 

Rebecca Donnelly, executive director of Southwest YES which runs Dorie’s House, invited Chris Beaudry to speak in Swift Current after hearing his at a recovery conference in Regina. 

“The way he approached sharing his message, the way he connected his audience is something that I felt would be a real fit for Swift Current, and also for Dorie’s House,” she said. “It didn't actually start [as a fundraiser]. We were so lucky, the support, just kept pouring in and we decided to turn it into a fundraiser so that it would kind of have that dual effect of creating a place for awareness and discussion, but also that we'd be able to raise funds to put back into our program, to give back the support to youth that we work with.” 

Beaudry is a former assistant coach with the Humboldt Broncos, knows all too well a firsthand account of the 2018 bus crash. He recounts childhood trauma and abuse, growing up in a household with one absent parent and another experiencing their own struggles with substance abuse. 

It was an easy ‘yes,’ from him when asked if he would travel to Swift Current for the symposium. 

“When I get to go and share with people, I feel this aliveness inside of me that doesn't happen from other work,” he said. “I'm connecting with people on such an important level that it only makes that aliveness larger. 

“I find I can relate to a lot of people; the grief aspect, the addiction aspect, or the traumatizing childhood aspects, I check a lot of boxes with people,” Beaudry added. "I think it's in that relating that people not only hear my story, but it helps them get in touch with their story a little better and offers them a different perspective to look at what might have actually happened to them, and it can change the way they feel about it.” 

Brady Leavold, former Swift Current Bronco, is the second guest speaker for the evening. The content of his talk will be along the same lines as Beaudry’s, including battling addiction and working through childhood trauma. 

“I think both of these [talks] tie into Dorie's house in that they're positive adult examples of getting through the battle,” said Donnelly. “The battle doesn't end, it's ongoing. Whether you're dealing with trauma, whether you're dealing with substance use, or mental health struggle. But these are two positive examples of people who have been able to get through it." 

Tickets can be purchased by cash or cheque by visiting Len’s Plumbing and Heating or Nightjar Diner, or by e-transfer through the Dorie’s House website.