North Battleford will have a community run for mental health on Sept. 14. (file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Angela Brown

Support for mental health

Mental health fun run planned for North Battleford

Aug 28, 2019 | 9:00 AM

Families will have an opportunity to come together for a run to support mental health next month.

The inaugural Bridging Communities Mental Health Run will be held Sept. 14 at Centennial Park in North Battleford.

Participants of all ages can run or walk a five kilometre, two kilometre or one kilometre course. The one kilometre course is also available for seniors and those with mobility issues.

Erin Woytiuk, mental health capacity-building initiative co-ordinator with Living Sky School Division and Light of Christ Catholic School Division, is helping organize the event.

She said the project fits in well with the organizers’ goal to promote mental health in youth and adults.

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“Physical activity has been proven to help with our mental health,” Woytiuk said.

Woytiuk said a running clinic for students is planned on the Friday before the run date.

Youth and seniors can participate in the mental health run at no cost, while there is a $10 registration fee for adults. Funds received will benefit mental health initiatives in the Battlefords.

For the one kilometre run, elementary school students are encouraged to take part with the seniors they met previously at care homes during the Better Together project.

“We’re going to have a really accessible one kilometre [course] for seniors and young people, and a lot of rest stations,” Woytiuk said, adding there may be some entertainment planned as well.

To take part in the mental health run, register online.

For a future project in the schools, Woytiuk said organizers plan to start a new mental health initiative called Headstrong, created by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, at John Paul II Collegiate and North Battleford Comprehensive High School in the fall. According to the commission, the program teaches students how to reduce stigma surrounding mental illness, and “become mental health champions in their schools.”

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angela.brown@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @battlefordsnow