COCHRANE— Running from May 3 to 9 Canadians across the country are celebrating Mental Health Week.
Mental health has been a growing area of concern during the COVID-19 pandemic, said Cochrane Family and Community Support Services manager Kim Krawec.
The pandemic has caused people to experience more than a year of living in crisis, she said, and it has taken a toll on people’s well-being. Fears, concerns and anxieties are increasing in tandem as COVID-19 case numbers continue to rise.
“People are tired, we have been isolated for 14 months— We’re seeing the impact,” Krawec said. “As human beings, we are wired for connection and we need that social piece. For a lot of us, that has been taken away and that is a huge part of mental health.”
Mental Health Week was founded by the Canadian Mental Health Association and celebrated 70 years of promoting mental health awareness in 2021. The national initiative is designed to raise awareness for and promote positive mental health.
Connecting with family, friends and the community is a major component of mental health, and to help facilitate these activities Family and Community Support Services are hosting two scavenger hunts in May.
The scavenger hunts will be an engaging way to help people practise self-care, Krawec said, by encouraging Cochranites to get outside and engage in a fun activity that will take them across the community.
Last year for Mental Health Week Cochrane Community and Support Services hosted mental health pop-ups in the community. It was a unique experience because the world as a whole was adapting to the COVID-19 virus, said community liaison and program community wellness Kristen Immel.
They were able to learn and adapt activities from last year's event, she said, but now face an all-time high in case numbers and anxiety.
To help alleviate these concerns the scavenger hunts are focussed on being COVID-safe.
“It’s something people can participate safely in, but it's still really fun and exciting to do and engage with the community,” Immel said.
Her hope is the scavenger hunts will help foster a feeling of connectedness and belonging in the community, while teaching people ways to maintain and build healthy mental wellness.
The event includes two scavenger hunts that have incorporated different activities .
The first scavenger hunt encourages people to explore Cochrane’s Historic Downtown. Participants will be able to visit different businesses and can score points based on varying degrees of difficulty that range between five, 10 and 20 points.
The second scavenger hunt dubbed “Adventure form Anywhere” allows people to participate from the safety of their own homes. It includes activities like saying hi or waving to a neighbour, going for a walk, calling up a friend and other challenges worth five, 10 or 20 points, along with bonus adventures.
“It’s something someone could do in any community of Cochrane. They can do it in their neighbourhood or going out into their own backyard. There are even things they can do from home,” Immel said.
A virtual tour of Glenbow Provincial Park will also be available for bonus points.
After completing a scavenger hunt points are tallied and participants can enter to win prizes. To enter the contest, submit a competed scavenger hunt form to the Town of Cochrane FCSS Facebook Page, Instagram, email [email protected] or drop off a completed form at the Cochrane Family and Community Support Services building.
Prizes of the week will be posted on Facebook and Instagram. Prizes are available for any age from youth to seniors.
Immel said she has been blown away by the community support the scavenger hunts received, explaining more than 50 prizes have been donated by 18 local businesses.
“I’m really humbled by the generosity of the community,” Immel said.
Mental Health Week is more important than ever, Immel said, and she appreciates the businesses that have stepped up to help make the scavenger hunts a fun activity for the community.
“It’s good timing for people to have something else to focus on and for them to really just have fun and connect with family,” Immel said. “Since it's outdoor, they can do it with other people too.”
For more information visitcochrane.ca/ScavengerHunt.
