Well, we made it through 2020. Never in our wildest imagination did we expect to endure what we did in the span of those 12 months. Over the course of the year, we experienced a global pandemic, a social revolution, and witnessed the chaos of our neighboring country unfold. While it may seem like this past year was filled with many lows and very few highs, as we look back and reflect, we realize that amidst all the chaos were small moments of joy and celebration. Though it was an unprecedented year to say the least, we wanted to share a few positive memories!
January 29
What an honour it was to have been able to present three ConvoPlates and a platter to the Halton Police Victim Services team on Bell Let’s Talk Day! A few months prior, we had the pleasure of inviting the team for a ConvoPlate-making session as part of their team-building event, where members each hand-crafted their own plate. We’re so grateful to have been able to collaborate with this incredible group of people, who are highly trained to provide immediate support and intervention to individuals who have experienced trauma and crime. As a token of our gratitude for all the work they do to support our community, we asked the team to pick three plates that they would like to have displayed in their unit. Also check out their awesome platter that features each member’s thumb print!
February 24
#ConvoPlate 930 has started its journey! This was such a wonderful day, where we were able to pass a ConvoPlate to Adults in Motion (AIM) – Halton! AIM is a non-profit day program that supports individuals with developmental disabilities by allowing opportunities to increase confidence and independence. We can’t wait to watch this plate travel through the different AIM locations across Ontario once it’s safe to do so!
May 12
We launched #ConvoSong 2.0! We first introduced our social media #ConvoSong in 2019, where we had weekly music face-offs and asked you to vote for which song spoke to you – whether it’s a song that helped you through a difficult time, triggers a memory for you, or lifts you up. This time around, all of the songs that we featured were personally picked by our social media followers! ConvoSong 2.0 ended up being a positive source of distraction as we navigated quarantine, and allowed each other to find songs that helped us through those challenging months. Leave a comment if you would like ConvoSong 3.0!
September 10
World Suicide Prevention Day is a day observed annually on September 10 dedicated to raising awareness and providing prevention measures and tips. For the second year in a row, we launched our social media campaign “#YouAreNotAlone”, where we shared the stories of four incredible individuals who have had their own unique experiences with mental health:
- Vera Roncon, a Registered Clinical Psychologist at Mt Pleasant Therapy Centre who has been practicing in the field of mental health for the past 27 years.
- Lauren Allen, a passionate mental health advocate living with Borderline Personality Disorder, OCD and anxiety, who also owns her own Etsy jewelry shop.
- Numila Parker, Oakville Chapter Leader for Parents for Children’s Mental Health (PCMH) – a family-led non-profit organization that supports families facing the unique challenges of child and youth mental health concerns.
- Ryan Luyk, a suicide attempt survivor spreading awareness about mental health and addictions. Ryan also volunteers as a peer mentor in addition to his Account Executive job at Calyx Wellness.
Even though it wasn’t the year we expected, we’re so grateful to have been able to have these memories that we’ll cherish forever. We want to extend a huge thank you to each and every one of you for supporting us and the mental health movement. We know things are difficult right now, but we hope this serves as reminder to try and find joy in the small things. Here’s hoping for a better 2021.
If you need help, please reach out:
Crisis Services Canada: 1-833-456-4566 or text 45645
Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868
Contact your local Distress Centre for 24/7 support:
Oakville: 905-849-4541
Burlington: 905-681-1488
North Halton: 905-877-1211
Follow us on social media!
https://twitter.com/PaulHansellFdn
Nice article. Keep posting more.
Thanks for sharing.