During their lunch-hour, a group of volunteers gathered around a table to write messages on hundreds of Post-It Notes. Those notes are now posted all over town, in library books, at the post office and in bathrooms in an effort to raise awareness about mental health.
The messages range from a few words encouraging people to “take a day to do something you love” to acknowledgements that mental health isn’t a choice, it’s a disorder: “You’d never say, ‘It’s just cancer, get over it.’”
The hope is by seeing these messages around town, it will help break the stigma and open people’s eyes to the pervasiveness of mental illness.
The Post-It Note initiative is just one of many that are taking place during Jasper’s first mental health awareness campaign, organized by the newly formed Mental Health Awareness Committee.
The Stand Up For Healthy Minds campaign began April 24 and will continue until May 7, with events and learning opportunities taking place every day.
The events range from mindfulness sessions to mental health first aid and free lunchtime yoga at the Jasper Legion.
The hope is these two weeks will raise awareness of the new committee and open the community up to year-round discussions about mental health.
So far there are about 30 members on the committee—ranging from addictions counsellors to healthcare providers and members of the RCMP—all of whom want to destigmatize mental illness and support community members who live with a mental illness.
To participate in the awareness campaign, the committee asks that you share photos showing how you keep your mind healthy. Don’t forget to use the hashtag, #forhealthyminds.
For a full schedule of events, flip to the back page of this week’s Fitzhugh.
Nicole Veerman
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