The Portage La Prairie Bear Clan is asking for the community’s help in cleaning up sharps in town.
Native Women’s Council co-chair Katt Rossiter says the Portage Bear Clan has a designated “needle team” that deals with needles, glass and other dangerous items laid out in the open. She explains how you can get in touch with them.
“We’d rather they take a picture of it and flag it to us on our Facebook page and title the post ‘needle team’,” says Rossiter. “They can add the information in the body of the message.”
Rossiter says each member of their needle crew is given needle-nose pliers, a sharps container, turtle-skin gloves, as well as a first-aid kit. While they’re always happy to help, Rossiter notes that they’re not available 24/7, so if you don’t get a response from them within the hour, she explains how you can safely dispose of these items.
“You need an empty pop bottle or water bottle. You take the cap off, grab some pliers or a stick or whatever you can so you don’t hit that needle,” Rossiter continues. “Pick it up, put it inside the bottle with the cap and let us know where it is. We’ll get it back.”
She adds that the Needle Team is a group that every bear clan has.
“It’s part of our mandate. We’re not the first bear clan, Winnipeg is. They’re the parent organization of the bear clan and they train all the other bear clans on how to do it. and who to contact. So that’s a service we’ve provided since we started.”
To contact the Portage Bear Clan click here.
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