Sarnia schools hold third annual Ride Don't Hide
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Canadian Mental Health Association officials are hopeful an elementary school event in Sarnia will spread across the country.
Some 300 students from five elementary schools gathered Tuesday morning at Canatara Park for the third annual Ride Don't Hide School Ride in the city.
It's the only one of its kind, Alan Stevenson, CEO of Canadian Mental Health Lambton Kent, told students before the ride began.
“Our goal is to create rides that include youth and schools together as partners, across Canada,” he said.
“And it's really starting with you.”
Grade 7 and 8 students at Cathcart Boulevard School held the first school ride in 2015 and raised $4,100 for the association. That was followed in 2016 by a ride with Cathcart and Lakeroad schools that raised $4,500.
This year, students from Cathcart, Lakeroad, Bright's Grove, London Road and Bridgeview schools were involved and raised approximately $2,000.
“We believe that the work that you're doing by supporting the Canadian Mental Health Association in saying to your community that mental health really does matter, is going to have an impact across Canada,” Stevenson told the students.
“We are here to show Sarnia-Lambton, Ontario and the rest of Canada that we are OK talking about mental health,” Ellie Fraser, mental health lead with the Lambton Kent District School Board, told the students.
The students from the five schools were joined by Sarnia police officers on bikes in a ride around the park, followed by a barbecue.
The community's fourth annual Ride Don't Hide fundraiser is set for June 25 at the Moore Sports Complex in Mooretown.
Information about how to get involved in the ride is available online at ridedonthide.com.
Angela Kirkland, with the association, said the goal of this year's Sarnia-Lambton ride is to attract 400 cyclists and raise $50,000 to help support mental health services.
That includes work the association does with schools to educate students about caring for their own mental health, identify concerns and know how to access services if they require mental health supports, Stevenson said.
It's expected that more than 10,000 people will participate in 35 community rides being held across the country this year in support of the association.
An increase in demand for services across Canada is connected with a reduction in the stigma about mental illness, Stevenson said.
“More people are feeling confident to seek services,” he said.
“The demand has always been there but in the past it has been suppressed by stigma and fear of discrimination.”
Stevenson said he's confident the stigma will continue to shrink.
“Young people don't draw a distinction between health and mental health,” he said.
“They're much more willing to talk about mental health, both in positive terms around good mental health, but also getting help when people are struggling with mental health problems.”
Stevenson said that makes him feel hopeful.
“I feel very strongly that young people are going to change the entire landscape around mental health.”