Nunavummiut to celebrate, raise funds for help line March 24

Twenty-two years and counting.

That’s how long the Nunavut Kamatsiaqtut Help Line has been in operation “helping people help themselves,” as the organization’s motto goes.

But like any volunteer-driven initiative, Kamatsiaqtut needs money to pay its rent and phone bills.

That’s why the organization is hosting is annual fundraising/celebration March 24 at the Frobisher Inn.

“It’s quite amazing that a totally volunteer-run organization has operated this long in Nunavut,” said Kamatsiaqtut’s executive director, Sheila Levy. “But we still need to fundraise to stay open.”

The service runs on about $100,000 a year — some of that is government funding, Levy said, but the majority comes from community donations.

On March 24, an $80 ticket will buy you dinner at the Frobisher Inn, entertainment from Iqaluit’s Road to Nowhere band and a video presentation on suicide prevention prepared by grade 12 student Terry Kusugak.

This year’s fundraiser also features Mary Simon, president of Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, as its guest speaker.

A team of 70 volunteers — some still there since Kamatsiaqtut’s launch in 1990 — operate the help line for Nunavummiut in crisis from 7:00 p.m. to midnight every day.

Depending on who is working the phone line, callers can speak to someone in English, Inuktitut or French.

Levy said the help line gets calls about “everything,” although many touch on feelings of despair and thoughts of suicide.

“A lot of suicides have to do with relationship issues,” Levy said. “So you do end up talking about those things a lot. But we certainly hope the conversations with us make a difference in their lives.”

In fact, Levy knows that they do.

She recently received a donation from a former caller to the helpline, who has since gone on to marry and have a family.

“They told me that they’re so glad they made the choice to live,” Levy said. “That’s very strong.”

There are still a handful of tickets left for the fundraising dinner, which can be had by calling Levy at (867) 979-4295.

Nunavut Kamatsiaqtut help line can be reached in Iqaluit at (867) 979-3333 or toll-free at 1(800) 265-3333.