On June 24, the Peterborough-area branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association hopes to raise $25,000, funds it says it desperately needs.
“We haven’t been able to cover the increase in costs of our operations,” said Kerri Davies, the branch’s manager of community engagement. “We haven’t been able to provide the raises that we’d like for our staff — it makes it difficult to recruit.”
Mental health is a topic that’s increasingly drawn headlines and the attention of politicians. But Davies said those same politicians have been slow to practice what they’re preaching.
To that end, she said, CMHA employees have been sitting down with potential candidates as the provincial election looms.
“We’ve been running a campaign for the last couple of weeks leading up to the election called Erase the Difference, where we’re trying to draw attention to the fact that we are underfunded, and we’ve been significantly underfunded for the last nine years,” she said.
The June 24 event is known as Ride Don’t Hide, and is returning for its third year. Davies said they’re hoping at least 250 cyclists participate this year.
One of those riders is Rob Seguin, program director for The Wolf 101.5 and 100.5 Fresh FM in Peterborough.
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Seguin’s brother Chris died from suicide in 2016. Seguin is dedicating his ride to him.
“I want to honour my brother, keep his memory alive,” he said.
“He hid his illness, and that’s really what this event is all about,” Seguin continued. “To seek help where you need it.”
Davies said money from the ride is already earmarked for one of the CMHA’s shelter programs.
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