The town of Battleford, in Saskatchewan, recently honoured its champions of mental health. The event, organized by the Canadian Mental Health Association Battlefords (CMHA) Battleford, felicitated individuals making a difference in mental health support across the region.

The second annual Champions of Mental Health awards, themed Threads of Resilience, were presented to nurses, musicians, housing workers, restaurant owners, and longtime volunteers. The Battleford community gathered to celebrate and thank its mental health champions earlier this month.

Ava Bahrey and Diana Gryba received the Champion of Mental Health Event Award for organizing a youth-led concert titled A Little Help From My Friends, supporting mental health initiatives. Community awards were presented to Nancy Schultz and the family of the late Patrick Olson. Schultz was recognized for supporting youth, schools, and families while helping reduce stigma around mental health in the community. Patrick Olson was remembered for his generosity, compassion, and commitment to helping others.

Employee awards recognized Daniel Villeneuve, known as “Chief,” and Adrianna Richard for their frontline support work in the community. The employer award went to Dejma’s Curry House for creating employment opportunities for individuals involved in reintegration and employment programs connected to Saskatchewan Hospital and Prairie Employment.

Laurie Klima and Marion Palidwor were presented with the Legacy Awards for their decades of contributions to mental health care and advocacy in the region. Blair Archibald, Michael Moloff, Palidwor, Kent Lindgren, Kathy Gerbrandt, and Joyce Salie were presented with long-term service awards for their years of leadership and volunteer service with CMHA Battlefords.

Source: BattlefordsNOW