Couple offers safe haven to Île-à-la-Crosse kids

In the past six years, Dave and Nicole Dalton have become an important part of the remote northern Saskatchewan village of Île-à-la-Crosse.

Having moved there from the east coast, they've become a source of kindness and support for kids in search of a safe haven.  

"I jokingly do cupcake therapy," said Nicole. "The kids always know that they can come and talk to us about anything — if they are having issues at home; if they are having issues with school, with friends, boyfriends, girlfriends — anything."

Like other northern communities, Île-à-la-Crosse is home to some complicated social issues. While Nicole jokes about offering "cupcake therapy," the topic of suicide has come up many times. The couple has, in fact, rushed children to hospital to be treated for self-harm.

The Daltons are also doing their fair share of helping out with children's activities: the curling team, Girl Guides and the robotics team.

How away became home

The Daltons' original motivation in moving to Île-à-la-Crosse was necessity.

"Coming from the east coast there is not a lot of teaching jobs, so we kind of jumped on it, and that's how we got out here," Dave said in an interview with CBC Radio's Afternoon Edition.

It's a common story in the North: come for the money and the experience, then move to the city. The Daltons, however, found a sense home in the historic lakeside village.

"It's a really kind of tight-knit community, fairly open," said Dave. "Everybody is really nice and everybody helps out."

As Dave said, the original motivation for the move may have been work, but it is the love of community and the children who live there that keeps the couple in Île-à-la-Crosse.

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