Garden Hill First Nation residents search for Derwin Beardy in Winnipeg, Selkirk

Dozens of people walked through the tall grass on the sides of roads in the Selkirk area Thursday to find any hint of the location of a missing Garden Hill First Nation man.

Derwin Beardy, 45, was reported missing on June 26, buthe had not been in contact with family or friends since June 3 in Selkirk, police said.

• RCMP search for missing Derwin Beardy, 45

"It's hard. It's hard," Derwin's brotherMichaelBeardy said.

His brother was last seen in the Selkirk area, he said, and dozens of volunteers, several who flew in from the northeast Manitoba First Nation, have come to the area to search.

RCMP said the missing mancould also be in the Winnipeg area and is known to use shelters.

"It's important. We love this person; that's why we are here," Chief Dino Flett said.

"Everybody knows each other. That's why we are all doing this."

Searchers have combed through bushes and fields since Monday, looking for anything that might lead them to Beardy, but so far they have found nothing helpful.

Members of the Bear Clan Patrol helped guide the group and taught them the best way to search.

"They are doing a tremendous job for their first time doing a line search," saidDarryl Contois, of the Bear Clan Patrol.

The Bear Clan will help the searchers as long as they need, Contois said. They've also searched in Winnipeg, he said.

"We are there for the families. We know they are hurt. We try [to] assist them in the best way we can and find closure for them," he said.

Beardy is described as five-foot-11 and 154 pounds. Hehas black hair and brown eyes.

Anyone with information is asked to contact RCMP at 204-482-1222.