By Angela Brown

Mental health event brings community together

Mar 16, 2018 | 12:00 PM

Close to 3,000 people from the Battlefords area came together for what was essentially a huge sharing circle at the Civic Centre Thursday evening, focusing on mental health.

TSN sports personality Michael Landsberg, as well as a number of guests including Rock band One Bad Son, spoke to the community in words and music to help everyone who has been impacted by several youth suicides in the past few months, including one youth in the past week. Landsberg, founder of the mental health awareness charity #SickNotWeak, shared his personal challenges with depression during the event.

One Bad Son singer Shane Volk, who grew up in Kerrobert, also shared his own struggles with mental health, and encouraged anyone dealing with mental problems to seek help.

“If you can find one person to talk to, as you probably know, that’s how it starts,” he said. “It doesn’t mean you have to share with the world to start; just share, just get it out to somebody.”

Volk said he was particularly upset when singer-songwriter Chris Cornell committed suicide in 2017, because he admired the musician so much as a role model. Volk said he sought help for his own challenges and didn’t give up. 

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Landsberg said the entire event was put together to help the Battlefords community, which has gone through what he described as some “mind-bogglingly horrible tragedies.” He said he hopes the gathering helped the community.

“I’m here to say I’m not embarrassed, I’m not ashamed … and I sure as hell am not weak,” he said.

After meeting with residents one-on-one for close to two hours to show his support at the end of the evening, Landsberg said the mental health event was a “life highlight.”

“I hope these people got as much from this as I got from this,” he said. “I heard people sharing things that they’ve never shared before. It just proves that it’s infectious. I share, you share and they share, and together we make a difference in each others’ lives.”

Other guests at the event included country music singer-songwriter Beverley Mahood, Grey Cup champion Chris Getzlaf, CFL all-star Weston Dressler, and Olympic gold medal hockey player and current TSN broadcaster Tessa Bonhomme, who shared their own stories.

There was also an opportunity for local residents to speak up during the night. One young woman spoke about her challenges with mental health, and said it was important for her to attend the event.

The two Battlefords mayors also attended, as did many families and service providers.

“whether it helps the community or not, it was just great to see the community laughing together, smiling, and coming together to talk about something that’s so important,” Battleford Mayor Ames Leslie said. “We need to stop being invisible, and we need to be comfortable to get out and talk. I think if one person can walk away from here today and not feel ashamed to share their struggles, all this is worth it.”

John Paul II Collegiate teacher Roxanne Brandle said she believes the gathering will have a positive impact.

“I think this will definitely help the community, even just to be aware of [mental illness] and to talk about it more, so they know it’s not something to hide and be ashamed of.”  

She said many people suffer from mental illness silently without anyone else knowing, which has to change.

All donations collected at the free event benefitted the local Canadian Mental Health Association.  

angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow