A group of Peterborough-area skiers will be cross-country skiing for 24 hours during the weekend of February 26th to raise funds for mental health.
Taking place at Kawartha Nordic Ski Club, located off Highway 28 just north of Haultain in North Kawartha Township, the 24 Hour Ski Marathon for Mental Health will raise funds for the new Mobile Mental Health and Addictions Clinic overseen by the Canadian Mental Health Association Halliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKRP).
Supported by Kawartha Nordic and Wild Rock Outfitters, the idea for the fundraiser came from Wild Rock staff member and Kawartha Nordic board member John Hauser.
“I lost a cousin to suicide during the pandemic,” Hauser says. “I’ve also personally felt the toll of the pandemic on my own mental health, as I believe many others have. After speaking with Jeff Cadence and Jack Vietch at CMHA HKPR about the mobile mental health and addictions clinic, I felt this was a project I would like to get behind.”
Hauser and his support team from Wild Rock will set up camp near the Sugar Shack at Kawartha Nordic Ski Club, with the marathon ski running from noon on Saturday, February 26th to noon on Sunday, February 27th.
While no additional participants can join the ski, skiers visiting the club can drop by to see how the marathon is going. You can also follow the marathon on Instagram @24forcmhahkpr.
“When I first started talking with people about doing a 24 hour cross-country ski as a mental health fundraiser, I think many thought I wasn’t thinking straight,” Hauser says on Instagram. “Sure, it will be a challenge, but the thing is, I love skiing! It gets me outside exercising regularly in the winter, which is a time of year when I am personally prone to feeling down.”
“Regular activity and getting outside are two of the most recommended things to do for better mental health,” he adds. “Get out there!”
CMHA HKRP’s Mobile Mental Health and Addictions Clinic will provide specialized mental health and addictions care to individuals in rural and remote areas within the city and county of Peterborough, Northumberland, Haliburton, and Kawartha Lakes.
To support the marathon ski fundraiser for the clinic, visit the CMHA HKRP website at cmhahkpr.ca/get-involved/donate/ and make a donation to the “24 Hour Ski Marathon for Mental Health” fund.
