CENTRE WELLINGTON – Every fall for the last six years, an event designed to engage community members in promoting life and opening conversations about suicide occurs in Centre Wellington.
The Here4Hope annual event stems from the Here4Hope Wellington community-based life promotion and suicide prevention project.
The vision: Wellington County is a community where suicide is prevented and everyone lives with hope and resilience.
The project receives financial support from the OPP, Wellington County and the Canadian Mental Health Association Waterloo Wellington (CMHA).
“It’s intended to be light and hopeful,” CMHA director of strategy and community engagement Alison DeMuy told the Advertiser.
The free event is slated for Nov. 5 from 6 to 8pm at The Grandway Events Centre in Elora.
Each year a keynote speaker offers empowering stories or educational strategies to battle mental health issues, officials say.
This year, motivational speaker and author Joe Roberts will share the critical role family and community support played in helping him overcome a lifelong struggle with substance use and mental illness.
“His story is phenomenal,” said DeMuy. “He has been in two very different parts, spaces and places of his life …
“One where he was really homeless and dealing with addiction on the streets of east Vancouver and one where he found his way into being the CEO of a major company.”
ALISON DEMUY
Roberts’ story highlights the “glimmer of hope” that everyone can find, DeMuy said.
Along with inspirational stories and community connections, coffee and cookies will also be making an appearance.
“It’s just a safe place to come and have a hopeful night,” DeMuy explained.
The night will also include trained mental health clinicians and suicide prevention volunteers.
“If anybody at the event has some questions [or]wants to talk to somebody then we’re available right then and there to support,” DeMuy said.
Here4Hope was originally created after several suicides occurred in the county over a brief time period.
“We were very concerned about the community and really wanted to bring everybody together and start the conversation about suicide and mental health,” DeMuy said.
In 2018 CMHA held a conversation with TSN sports personalities Jennifer Hedger and Michael Landsberg (both of whom have their own stories), which was attended by hundreds.
“We knew after that [event] the community really valued this and so we’ve done it every year since,” DeMuy said. =
“This is something that transcends all races, genders [and] all socioeconomic status.”
Officials expect a sold-out show so DeMuy recommends those interested pre-register at here4hope.ca.
“We really encourage everybody to come out. It’s for all ages,” she said.
“The topic is probably better for youth more than kids.”
She also mentioned a new national suicide prevention line CMHA is involved with (988) that helps “people in the community understand and demystify what suicide can be.”
