Two more try deadly drink

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Two young men were flown from Grande Prairie to the University Hospital in Edmonton on March 19 after drinking vodka mixed with a lethal mixture.

Staff Sgt. D. Bottoms of the Grande Prairie RCMP detachment said the two men were found unconscious on the floor of a home in Grande Prairie by a third person in the home. It is unknown the quantity of the deadly mixture they had consumed. Bottoms said the RCMP investigation is complete and no charges will be laid.

One of the young men, Allan Bellam, 20, is a cousin of Hubert Bellam who was one of the six who died after drinking a similar poison at Peerless Lake 10 days ago. The other victim is Earl Auger, 18. Both are reported to be in satisfactory condition.

David Starr, a Peerless Lake resident, said "we're still grieving up here and then this happens. We don't want any more people drinking methyl hydrate. These two guys are doing more harm than anything else. We don't want the tragedy here repeated, it will only turn the situation into a sideshow. It's got to stop."

Helen Starr of Grande Prairie says the two men obviously did it because of Peerless Lake, but asks why?

In the meantime, in Peerless Lake the community has started working on their problems. They've had a two-day workshop to find out what has really happened to the community as a whole. After a day, Starr reported, they have come up with lack of communication - or rather, the loss of communication with the young people - as the main factor.

"We are now working on the cause of alcohol - the factors being family conditions, lifestyle of young people, depression, the feeling of being an outcast. The whole community is working together, and coming up with the causes and possible solutions. Together we are going to come to the soul of the problem, " he said.

The community is looking forward to the workshop that is being held on March 22, with Nechi representatives and Alkali Lake Chief Andy Chelsea and his wife, Phyllis, as guests. The community will also be able to view the film, "The Honour of All," the docu-drama on Alkali Lake fight in conquering alcoholism.

Starr is very excited about the response the community is showing.