Earl Horlyk

WINNEBAGO, Neb. -- James Price Sr., 60, has been a bow hunter for as long as he can remember.

That made the Winnebago man the perfect person to mentor a younger generation of Native Americans in the sport of archery.

"I can go years without picking up a bow and arrow," Price said. "But it's easy to get back into it."

Price was one of the participants in Aim for Sobriety Archery Sessions, a new twice-a-week program offered by the Recovery Program of Winnebago Comprehensive Healthcare System (WCHS) for those with substance abuse issues and those like Price who just want to test their mettle.

Held for two hours every Tuesday and Friday, the archery tutorial was one of many programs geared toward mental health awareness and suicide prevention.

"Deaths by suicide is disproportionally high in the Native community," WCHS suicide prevention specialist Donna Wolf explained. "Mental health is still a taboo topic, but we want to show people it doesn't have to be."

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"It seems like so many people have lost a loved one to suicide or through addiction," she continued. "Maybe a person is experiencing addictions or thoughts of suicide himself. We want to help them to recognize the warning signs and to know that there is help out there."

As a way to approach sensitive topics, programs like Aim for Sobriety have proven to be successful.

"Archery is a fun activity that has a lot of cultural significance to the Native community," Recovery Program outreach coordinator manager Jayme Moore said. "People may come here for the archery but they'll leave here with information that will their journey to sobriety."

Winnebago Archery

Laura Huffman sights downrange during an "Aim for Sobriety" archery session in Winnebago, Nebraska. Developed by the Winnebago Comprehensive H...

However, Moore is more adept at mental health issues than she is at archery.

"There are so many people who are a lot better than me," she said struggling a bit with a bow and arrow. "I'm still new when it comes to this."

Recovery Program staffer Chad Pies learned archery as a little kid.

"Growing up, I knew the importance of hunting in the Native community," he said. "Mainly, it was just fun."

As with archery, recovery requires a great deal of focus.

"Archery helps a person who is struggling with addiction to stay focused," Recovery Program staffer Keesha Parker said. "It means being focused on a new sport or a new way of life."

Or in the case of James Price Sr., it keeps him connected to this heritage.

"I've had a bunch of surgeries but I can still hit a bull's eye," he said. "I feel good about that."

Winnebago Archery

Brandon Hegonsott aims an arrow during an "Aim for Sobriety" archery session in Winnebago, Nebraska. Developed by the Winnebago Comprehensive ...

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Food and Lifestyles reporter

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