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Why do we as families support LOPS and other harm reduction initiatives?

Kym Porter, MSTH advocate and local leader in Medicine Hat, AB, and other MSTh advocates were in Lethbridge for the opening night of the overdose prevention site. Learn what Kym and others experienced and why they were there.

A Friday Night to Remember

By Kym Porter.

MSTH volunteers at LOPS on opening night, setting up our banner. (Photo by: Victoria Nestorowicz)

On Friday, September 25, 2020, my husband, Kevin, and I got in the car and drove a few hours down the road from Medicine Hat to Lethbridge. The purpose of this trip was like no other one we had ever taken. We were heading to Galt Park, a beautiful, tree-lined green space in the middle of downtown to meet with two other members of MSTH, those being Lori Hatfield and Kari Urselescu. The purpose of this meeting was to connect with a group of former staff members of Arches, the newly closed Supervised Consumption Site, the busiest site in North America, seeing over 600 client visits a day, a life-saving site now closed by an ideology based government in Alberta. We were there to support Tim Slaney and others in setting up the first unsanctioned overdose prevention site in this city, the LOPS. Lethbridge is a city extremely hard hit by the overdose crisis and the park has been referred to as the new epicenter for PWUD to gather. The park has now become ‘an unsupervised consumption site.’

As the sun was setting, we met, introduced ourselves, and started to unload the tent and other paraphernalia required to ensure people remain safe and alive while they consume their drugs. We also brought snacks, juice, and water to hand out.

Kym Porter talking to media on the opening night of the OPS. (Photo by Victoria Nestorowicz)

The tent was up in no time as was the MSTH banner. Those of you familiar with the area will know the wind plays a very strong role in deciding how long tents etc remain standing and in this case, it was not long. The banner, thought to be firmly planted in the ground, blew over just as I was to be interviewed by media. It was then we decided to relocate the tent. The banner, however, did not survive and went back into the trunk.

Because we kept the event on the ‘down-low’ we were unsure what to expect. Tim had contacted a few trusted media outlets (Global TV Lethbridge and CBC) and they filmed the set up as well as the takedown three hours later. They also interviewed a number of us as to what was the purpose of the OPS and why we felt it was necessary.

MSTH volunteers Lori Hatfield, Lori Vrebosh and Kari Urselescu. Lori came on the second anniversary of her son’s death to hand out harm reduction supplies and snacks together with her family. (Photo supplied by Lori Vrebosh.

The snacks were an immediate hit and were a great way to make an initial connection with people in the park. We helped fill bellies while making potential clients aware of what we were there for. After about two hours from our set up, the first client used the tent to safely consume their drugs under the trained, watchful, caring and nonjudgmental eyes of the volunteer staff. By the end of the evening, 4 people avoided overdose and possible death due to these concerned citizens taking the situation that the government had turned it’s back on, into their own capable, compassionate hands.

Just after eleven pm., we took down the tent and packed it and the supplies away to be set up again the following evening. The snacks had all disappeared about a half-hour beforehand. We packed up our vehicles, turned the heat on, and headed to our homes, knowing some of the people we met tonight would be sleeping in the park.

As we drove home and over the course of the past few days, I have reflected on the many different emotions that came during and after this experience. The predominate feeling to come to me is/was humbleness. I am in awe of the courage of these former staff to take up this challenge. I am also filled with gratitude for them, for my fellow MSTH members that sat in the cold and greeted each person with hearts of kindness, for my husband who helped with set up, take down and driving home at one am, for the media present who covered the story objectively, for the people who donated funds to help get this off the ground, for the people who, once learning of this, have stepped up to help and for the people in the park who had no reason to trust us but did.

Setting all of this up involved many people including MSTH co-founder Lorna Thomas and Canadian Drug Policy Alliance worker Shay Vanderschaeghe. MSTH members Kat Wahama and Traci Letts and long-time drug policy activist Ann Livingston were consultants to the process along with co-founder Petra Schulz who provided support from afar, given she is away in Germany.

The Lethbridge Overdose Prevention Society Tent is a beacon of hope. (Photo by Victoria Nestorowicz)

I am sad about the stories and obvious trauma experienced by so many who stopped by. Of course, I am sad for the lives lost so needlessly…but mainly, I am mad, no not mad, outraged! I am outraged at a government ignoring evident based facts. I am outraged at a government making decisions based on ideology and getting votes. I am outraged at their coldheartedness. I am confused and frustrated. I know I am not alone by the support, sometimes silent, sometimes organizational in helping pull this off.

This is not a one time only event. The goal is to continue offering an OPS until it is not needed. I would hope that day would be today however it is far off in the distance. We will keep showing up because it is the kind, right thing to do.

Snacks are harm reduction. Kym Porter, Kari Urselescu, and Lori Hatfield on opening night (left to right). (Photo by Victoria Nestorowicz)