For Imagine Mental Health Matters, it’s always been about taking the first step. The first step to ending the stigma that mental health issues carry. The first step to preventing suicide and directing people to the help they need.
On September 24, the Imagine team wants us to come out and take another first step with them. For its ninth year, Imagine will host its awareness event at Hespeler Park in Niverville. As with most successful events, this one continues to evolve with the changing needs of the mental health community and the changing desires of the people who attend.
A few things will be different this year, including the running circuit Imagine is known for. The marathon-style run/walk, typically winding through Niverville’s neighbourhoods and up Highway 311, will be contained within Hespeler Park and the surrounding area.
“We’re going for a more relaxed, small-town vibe [this year],” says Jazmin Dobson of the Imagine team.
The committee is reorganizing to keep everything in one location. In the past, the event took participants away from the main venue, all of them returning at different times. For some, this meant missing out on mainstage entertainment or missing out on friends and family who’d completed the run earlier and gone home.
“We want it to be encouraging, with everyone in one place,” says Mona Stott, who coordinates the event. “It’s not about the competition, it’s about the community.”
The Imagine team is challenging every one of us, adult or child, young or old, to join them at Hespeler Park and take 6,250 steps (approximately five kilometers) towards ending the stigma. The new run/walk path will be hemmed with luminaries to commemorate loved ones who’ve fallen victim to suicide. The Lonely Mile, a series of signs displaying the names of lost loved ones, will also mark the route, reminding us of their struggle and continued presence with us.
The family event will include a $5 barbecue hosted by Crystal Springs Hutterite Colony, live bands, a fire/LED light show, and geocaching (a modern form of hide-and-seek). Children will enjoy small carnival rides, a petting zoo, bouncers, and a variety of heroes and princesses in costume. The family movie Hook will hit the big outdoor screen at 8:00 p.m. along with a Chinese lantern release. All of this will be kicked off with an opening ceremony and pyrotechnics display.
Stott says that the community has been behind them since day one. Support continues to pour in from the business community. This year’s raffle prizes include a barbecue and meat, donated by Wm. Dyck & Sons and Bigway. A basket of lady’s sundries has been donated by Anya’s, and oil change coupons come from Sparkline Autoworks. Raffle tickets will be available in businesses throughout Niverville during the month of August. The prize winner will be announced at September’s event.
The Imagine team is a local non-profit organization, many of whom have struggled through depression or lost loved ones to suicide. They welcome the support of the southeast, whether financial or otherwise, in erasing the stigma of mental health issues. One step, one dollar, and one hug at a time, we can all help bring awareness.
