Red Red Deer D 1913 — 2013 Create Celebrate Commemorate
EVER CONSIDERED A
WARRIORS IN TOWN els
WEDDING IN VEGAS?
Red Deer Reb win their third straight
TRAVEL — PAGE B1
SPORTS — PAGE B4
Red Deer Advocate WEEKEND EDITION SATURDAY, NOV. 16, 2013
www.reddeeradvocate.com
Your trusted local news authority
EMPOWERING OUR TEENS Red Deer event aims to tackle the tough issue of teen suicide
‘All I wanted to have happen to me in that situation was have someone share their stories. I just wanted someone to help me. The only thing I wanted to do coming out of that bad situation is to help other youth.’ — Madison Fertig, Red Deer student
BY SUSAN ZIELINSKI ADVOCATE STAFF University student Madison Fertig first met Kale Williams in preschool and she’s happy to reminisce about her friend. But Fertig said she has learned to keep a few tissues within reach. She never knows when a memory or situation will trigger tears. Williams died by suicide in February. “It just hits you at the weirdest times,” said Fertig, who is one of four speakers set to speak at Red Deer’s first Teen Empowerment Day on Saturday, Nov. 23, in the Cenovus Learning Centre at Red Deer College. Nicole and Dean Williams, Kale’s parents, and Notre Dame High School teacher A.J. Mahoney will also speak about the impact of suicide. “I’m going to relive a lot of the feelings I felt, but it will be good to share,” said Fertig, 18, of Red Deer. Williams, a Grade 12 student at Notre Dame High School, was one of six local youth who committed suicide about a year ago, shoving the issue of teen suicide into the spotlight. The deaths prompted youth to join together to publicly acknowledge the taboo subject on a Facebook page where they sought solace and help. The latest community response has come from a Red Deer mother, Nicole Maurier, 39, who organized Teen Empowerment Day after talking to her teenage daughter and her friends and learning about all the challenges that can stress teens, sometimes to their
INDEX
Heavy snow. High -11. Low -13.
Four sections Alberta . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Business. . . . . . . . . . . . . B7,B8 Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A3 Classified . . . . . . . . . . . . D3-D7 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . C7 Entertainment . . . . . . . . C4,C5 Sports. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . B4-B6
FORECAST ON A2
BALCONY 12 x 8
LIVING ROOM 13 x13
MASTER BEDROOM 12 x 13
BEDROOM 10 x 11
DINING AREA 13 x 7
BATH 6 x8
ENSUITE 8 x7 W.I.C. 8 x6
limits. “I just felt as a parent, and as someone living in the community, I thought what can I do to make a difference or to contribute — out came Teen Empowerment Day,” Maurier said. Teen Empowerment Day is open to Central Alberta teens, ages 13 to 17. Admission is free and will include a free lunch and T-shirt. The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and the facility can hold 500 people. Parents are also welcome to attend, but lunch will not be provided to them. Maurier said she wanted to make it easy for students to access speakers who could make a difference in their lives. Alarmed by the rate of suicide among teens in the area over the past year, she decided suicide would be a major topic of the day with four of the
KITCHEN 14 x 9
ENTRY
UTIL. 5 x8
gets busy, but he always made you feel important and that’s what I always loved about him.” She said he was the one who people went to when they had problems. “A normal kid. A happy kid. A kid with lots of friends. It just flips your whole world upside down to know that person was so unhappy,” said Fertig, who helped Williams’ family pick out the music for his funeral. She said the healing process for her began at school. Teachers and administration allowed students to hang out in the school’s gathering area when emotions were raw that first week. “The school was so good about that. Good in ways that I could not imagine,” Fertig said. Other things that helped were the fundraising projects that students organized to raise money in memory of Williams for the Grad Service Project, which just happened to be raising money for Red Deer’s Suicide Information and Education Services.
Please see TEENS on Page A2
Ford vows court showdown Toronto city councillors voted Friday to neuter Rob Ford’s powers, but the legal process could yet thwart their efforts. Story on PAGE D7
PLEASE
RECYCLE
ALE N I F AS PH 0 % ! 4 LD SO 40+ Commun Community
Open Concept
2 Bedroom, 1 Bedroom, Bedroom/Den Suites
49466K16
WEATHER
Kale Williams with Madison Fertig. Williams was one of six local youth who committed suicide in 2012.
eight speakers addressing the issue. “I just wanted teens to hear from a different perspective on how suicide impacts a variety of different people.” Maurier said talking about suicide will create an opening for healing and build connections to available resources. Fertig said she didn’t hesitate when asked to speak at Teen Empowerment Day. She felt so alone in her grief over her friend’s death despite the efforts of family and friends. “All I wanted to have happen to me in that situation was have someone share their stories. I just wanted someone to help me. The only thing I wanted to do coming out of that bad situation is to help other youth.” Fertig shared classes with Williams the semester he died. “My first class back was the worst. It was like: why are things still going on? Don’t they realize what’s happened?” She considered Williams a friend for life. “He had this special ability. Life