Over 90 people participate in 11th annual Suicide Prevention Awareness Walk in Muskoseepi park

“Last year we had 66 so it is an improvement,” Monro says. “We did have 140 walkers registered but I assume with the smoke that [it] probably impacted it a little bit, but it’s still definitely a good turnout this year. My plan was, if the smoke was too bad, we would just hold a gathering instead of a walk, but I still wanted to do the event.”

(Photo Credit: Everything GP Staff/Nathaniel Leigh)

Monro says this is the walk’s 11th year to mark Suicide Prevention Month.

“We’ve done the walk for 11 years, but we’ve taken part in probably about 13 years in the event itself,” she says. “It’s a really important day to bring awareness to suicide in the community, the prevention, the resources we have. And just letting people know that they’re not alone and it’s ok to talk about your mental health.”

She says there were some changes to the walk this year, including a warm breakfast of pancakes and eggs.

“We did do breakfast pre-COIVD, but it wasn’t a warm breakfast so that’s the biggest change,” she says. “And then also we have a committee with dedicated community members, which was really helpful this year in planning the event.”

(Photo Credit: Everything GP Staff/Nathaniel Leigh)

Monro says it is important to lift the stigma around mental health and encourages anyone struggling to not be afraid to talk about it.

(Photo Credit: Everything GP Staff/Nathaniel Leigh)

by Nathaniel Leigh

Over 90 people participate in 11th annual Suicide Prevention Awareness Walk in Muskoseepi park

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