Kelowna

Record attendance and amount raised for Kelowna Ride

It’s a momentous sign that Kelowna is coming together as a mentally healthy community, one rider at a time. Approximately 500 people came out to ride and $130,000 has been raised for the Canadian Mental Health Association’s Ride Don’t Hide, which took place in Kelowna June 24^th– record numbers for the event.

Locally called the Payton & Dillon Budd Memorial Ride, in memory of two brothers who lost their lives, the ride was billed as a rallying point for people to come together and get loud about mental health and suicide prevention. It’s a sentiment that resonated with the community. “All of us, CMHA Kelowna staff and volunteers, we are all overwhelmed by the response to this event,” says Shelagh Turner, CMHA Kelowna’s Executive Director. “It sends an important message that says to anyone who is having mental health issues or thoughts of suicide – you do not have to hide, you do not have to stay silent. As a community, you are not alone and we are there for you.”

It was an emotional start to the event as riders, many with their own stories of how mental illness has impacted themselves, loved ones or colleagues, gathered to hear Tom Budd’s story. Budd spoke about his personal connection to the cause then wrapped up his speech with an inspiring message for the group, “Today we ride in victory, today we bring more awareness to mental health.” The Thomas Alan Budd Foundation is title sponsor for the event and, in a significant show of support for CMHA’s 100^th anniversary, matched $100 in fundraising for each rider who signed up under Budd’s 100.

The ride featured a 6.5 KM, 20 KM and 60KM route which start and ended at the Rotary Centre for the Arts. Sponsors for the event included JDS Mining, Kelowna Cycle, Fresh Air, Cyclepath, ChainLine Cycle, innov8 Digital Solutions, and DKL Financial Services.

Money raised for the event will stay locally, going to CMHA Kelowna programs and services that help people of all ages access the help and support they need to live their best lives. The date for next year’s ride is June 23, 2019.

About The Payton & Dillon Budd Memorial Ride

At CMHA Kelowna we want to let anyone struggling in silence to know they are not alone. That’s why we are dedicating our Ride Don’t Hide event to the memory of two brothers in our community. The Payton & Dillon Budd Memorial Ride is a rallying point for us all: Anyone can experience poor emotional or mental health. Anyone can be at risk for thoughts of suicide. No one should have to hide or stay silent. On June 24th, join us and ride in plain sight to raise funds for programs and services in our community.

About CMHA Kelowna

CMHA has been in Kelowna since 1956 when it was formed by a small group of individuals who wanted better services for their loved ones. Since that time, we have been providing a full range of supports to people with serious and persistent mental illness and people who have experienced the impact of poverty, homelessness and substance use. We believe that people can and do recover when they play an active, empowered role in their journey. CMHA Kelowna facilitates access to the resources people require to maintain and improve mental health and community integration, build resilience, and support recovery from mental illness.

CMHA Kelowna is the lead agency of Foundry Kelowna – a place where youth aged 12-24 and their families can find easy access to the help they need, when they need it. It is an integrated centre that is transforming how mental health and substance use services are delivered in Kelowna; providing early intervention to support young peoples’ well-being.

CMHA Kelowna’s key areas of service delivery:

Housing
Community Navigation and Outreach
Youth Services
Suicide Prevention
Wellness Programs
Food and Nutrition
Community Education and Promotion

Committed to community development, CMHA is dedicated to eradicating the stigma and discrimination that prevents people from accessing the help and hope they need it.

For event information: Jessica Samuels: 250-861-3644 or jessica.samuels@cmha.bc.ca