Vernon’s branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association is bringing the community together to rally around CMHA’s Mental Health Week.
Inaugurated by CMHA in 1951, the week of May 1-7, 2023 will mark the 72nd annual Mental Health Week in Canada.
The Vernon branch will throw its annual Community Block Party Thursday, May 4 at the Polson Park Bandshell from 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m.
“We welcome back 6 Shades of Grey for some great music,” said CMHA Vernon. “We will have the barbecue cooking up some fantastic burgers; barbecue is by donation. There will also be a chance to enter to win two tickets to Comedy for a Cause happening at Vernon and District Performing Arts Centre.”
Mental Health Week is a social change campaign to educate the public and shift beliefs and perceptions about mental health.
It helps promote behaviours and attitudes that foster wellbeing, support good mental health and create a culture of understanding and acceptance.
The 2023 theme is My Story.
“Our stories make us human,” said CMHA. “They’re how we pass down information, culture, language and ways of life. They connect us with our families and ancestors. Collectively and individually, we have multiple layers and stories that make us who we are, and while each year one-in-five Canadians experience a mental illness or mental health issue, five-in-five of us – that’s all people – have mental health.
“While we don’t all share the same experiences, we do all share a similar array of emotions, fears and hopes. These emotions, fears and hopes create a connection between the listener, the characters and the storyteller. That connection, the one that recognizes the ways that we’re the same and promotes understanding despite our differences, is the foundation of building stronger communities. The sense of community that storytelling creates is more vital today than ever before.”
For more information about Mental Health Week, visit www.mentalhealthweek.ca To learn about CMHA Vernon’s programs and services, visit www.cmhavernon.ca.
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roger@vernonmorningstar.com
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