WINDSOR, ONT. -- The Canadian Mental Health Association’s seventh annual Ride Don’t Hide campaign is going virtual to help raise funds for local mental health programs.
As physical distancing measures continue in light of COVID-19, CMHA Windsor-Essex is asking people to participate in its Ride Don’t Hide, Virtually campaign outside, inside, or in spirit to show everyone even though people are apart, no one is alone.
“Since its inception, ride don’t hide has created a sense of community,” said CMHA Windsor-Essex CEO Claudia den Boer in a Facebook Live announcement. “And this year more than ever it is important for our mental health to keep connected.”
The campaign encourages people to ride, walk, run, hike, do yoga, dance, mediate, or any activity that will help take care of personal mental or physical health while raising funds for mental health programs throughout the month of June.
“Set a mental or physical health goal and work towards that every day,” den Boer said. The initiative has raised around $240,000 for mental health services that are primarily underfunded by the government.
In years past, Ride Don't Hide would see participants meet up and cycle together, this year, moving to virtual, the initiative will have an indoor and outdoor ride champion to help inspire others on the June 28 ride day.
LaSalle police Sgt. Jason Woods will be cycling 100 kilometres for mental health equipped with a go-pro for people to follow his rides.
Woods has been cycling competitively as an amateur for around 20 years, and when he first started he said it was all about fitness and competition.
Since then he said he’s learned to appreciate the mental health aspect as well and said it provides the stress release and “outlet that I need.”
When a cycling accident landed Woods in the hospital with six fractured vertebrae in his neck he was forced to take a year off work and cycling and noticed the difference in his mental health.
“I noticed how much I was missing that time to get out there,” he said. “The time to just clear my head and being alone.”
Chynna Hamel, a social worker with CMHA and the ride caption for the initiative said she rides because mental health care needs to be just as accessible as physical health care.
“We need to all work to change the dialogue of how mental illness and addiction is viewed,” she said. “It can be as simple as changing the way we speak of mental illness, to join movements like Ride Don’t Hide, to lobbying for changes on a government level.”
The official ride day is Sun. June 28, but throughout the month of June participants will set a goal to challenge themselves either riding 100 km throughout the month, spinning for 500 minutes or do something every day of the month and share on their personal fundraising page.
“Although we cannot ride together this year, doesn’t mean we ride alone,” Hamel said.
Registration for Ride Don’t Hide Windsor is now open. The initiative’s fundraising goal this year is $30,000.
