A walk for mental health might be a sprint for Lloydminster. The conversation continues to ramp up in the Border City as Paul Laberge and community members set out to Walk the Talk during a 6-day hike from Saskatoon to Lloydminster to express the effects mental health has on the community.
Brett McCaw, who is helping Labarge with the event, says people have already reached out to share their story.
“[During the walk you’re] going to go through a lot of different hardships but its really to correlate those effects to it. The point of it is to give encouragement for everyone to share their story.”
Community members looking to participate in the walk don’t have to walk the whole six days. Pit stops will be made between August 26 to August 31 where people are welcome to join.
McCaw says they’re trying to get the community to come out and support the participants on the last leg of the walk from Lashburn to Lloydminster. He says the Lloydminster Rescue Squad will be assisting that day to block traffic for the crowd.
“Even if it’s just from the last five minutes of the walk at least you’re there to walk impart with someone because everybody needs someone in their journey through mental health to walk impart with them.”
Anyone looking to participate in the event can head to Let’s Walk the Talk Facebook page to sign up. Those looking to donate to the event can head to the Lloydminster Health Foundations website. All donations from the event will go towards LRHF’s mental health initiative Project Sunrise.
McCaw says Putting Zone is donating half their proceeds on August 9th to Project Sunrise so families who can’t participate in the event can still support care for mental health in Lloydminster.
There are many services in Lloydminster for those seeking resources for mental health including Prairie North Regional Health. Alberta Health Services also offers a mental health helpline at 1-877-303-2642.