Amidst today’s increasingly uncertain and stressful times, messages of hope are welcome now more than ever.
On that note, the Canadian Mental Health Association, Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) is hoping to help spread some words of encouragement through two uplifting community events in August.
Hosted by CMHA HKPR’s HOPE Learning Centre, the annual Art Splash events are intended to celebrate creativity, promote community connections, and raise mental health awareness. The free drop-in events take place in Peterborough on Friday (August 8) and in Lindsay the following Friday (August 15).
The Art Splash initiative kicked off in Lindsay around 10 years ago, according to CMHA HKPR peer support specialist Melody Dunn.
“Our team at the time realized that often when people are struggling, they’re walking with their heads down,” Dunn told kawarthaNOW.
“They imagined how great it would be if all the things that person needed to hear in that moment were written on the street in front of them — a way to help them lift their head back up. Art Splash was born.”
The aim of Art Splash is to brighten the day of passersby with encouraging chalk art and inspiring messages from members of the community. Chalk will be provided to those who wish to participate, but people are welcome to just enjoy the art and messages.
“The goal is to remind our communities that hope and healing are always possible,” according to a CMHA HKPR media release.
Each of the two events also features a water station and an information table where attendees can learn more about the HOPE Learning Centre’s free mental health and wellness courses.
“Not only is Art Splash a fun, all-ages, family-friendly activity, it is a great way to reduce stigma surrounding mental illness and uplift those struggling in our community,” Dunn said.
She added that the events can also “help those that may have fallen through the cracks (to) learn how they can get on a path to accessing mental health care.”
The Peterborough event on August 8 runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Millennium Park, nearby the Silver Bean Café, in downtown Peterborough. The Lindsay event on August 15 runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Victoria Park at 190 Kent Street West.
The HOPE (Helping Others Through Peer Education) Learning Centre provides educational courses about mental health and well-being that promote recovery, hope, empowerment, possibility, and connection.
The free courses are collaboratively designed, developed, and delivered with individuals who have lived experience.
For more information about the HOPE Learning Centre and available courses in Peterborough, Northumberland, Kawartha Lakes, and Haliburton County, visit cmhahkpr.ca/h-o-p-e-learning-centre/.
