Alberta’s best Aboriginal male singing artist Steve Rain (centre) of Falher inspired students at Georges P. Vanier school in Donnelly with best friend (left) Wanda Doherty and cousin Doug Lubeck.

Alberta’s best Aboriginal male singing artist Steve Rain of Falher inspired high school students at Georges P. Vanier school in Donnelly with a powerful message of healthy choices and lifestyles on Nov. 5. “I’m worth it.” That’s what students expressed with conviction at the end of his presentation, aimed at making healthy lifestyle choices. “Stay powerful, and tell each other you love them,” says Rain, who was featured in the Spotlight section of the Smoky River Express on Sept. 12. Respecting yourself, others, and your community is also vital to a healthy life, and he encouraged them to learn about life from people of older generations. “Spend time with elders because they have a lot to teacher younger people.” Raising self-respect, supporting, and encouraging others is vital to staying on the right track. “Open your eyes to what you want your life to be,” says Rain. Small communities also provide a safer setting for keeping unhealthy lifestyles and choices, he says. “Everyone has awesome potential,” says Rain, 35, who also spreads his messages across the nation with Canada on Youth Empowerment Tours. “Keep your dreams alive.” “It’s important to make healthy choices because they will impact you the rest of your life and people around you, ” says Rain. The combination of his ability to sing, play, and write his own music earned him Best Male Artist at this year’s Alberta Aboriginal Music Awards. He is preparing to compete at the Canadian Aboriginal Music Awards in five different categories. Living healthy lives free of drugs and alcohol is specially vital for youth who face the pressure of drugs and unhealthy addictions that eventually kill and destroy lives, families, relationships, and communities he says. “When you see any drugs coming into your community, everyone has the responsibility to stop drugs from coming in,” says Rain who became a heavy drinker of alcohol at age 12 and quit four years ago. A husband and father of five children, Rain grew up with with parents Dave and Shirley who are ordained ministers. Raised in a Christian home, he learned about making healthy choices and associating with the right people with positive healthy influence. He is specially grateful that his family and faith helped him turn his life back on the right path. “I often prayed to God to keep His hand on my life and I often spoke with my parents when I needed help,” says Rain. Being with people with positive and healthy lifestyles is vital. “If you have a friend who offers you drugs, the first thing to do is to drop that friend, because that person is not truly a friend, but someone who is out to kill you,” says Rain. “Drugs will destroy your life.” “I didn’t get into drugs, and I thank God for that,” says Rain. He also urged people to quit consuming extensive amounts of alcohol and drugs when celebrating anything. “For what?” he says. Drugs and alcohol kill, destroy, and devour, he says. Rain and his friends sang numerous gospel and inspiring stories that reflected his life of making healthy choices.