Beloved Man Doug “Dougie” Johnson Has Passed Away; Candlelight Vigil Being Held Honouring Lives Lost to Homelessness This Wednesday

Peterborough is mourning one of the most beloved homeless people of the city as Doug “Dougie” Johnson has passed away and is being honoured as one of several people at a candlelight vigil at City Hall at 5 p.m. this Wednesday.

Facebook Photo.

The vigil is to show solidarity and support to anyone who lost their life or is at risk during the winter season due to homelessness and lack of affordable housing according to the Facebook event.

It was created by Courtney Elizabeth Fisher on Dec. 14. The event is asking anyone to send along photos of anyone lost from homelessness to be honoured and show City Councillors its magnitude and influence.

Johnson with his daughter Dana. HIs daughter and most of the maternal family moved out to Western Canada for a living. Facebook Photo.

Known to frequent downtown, Johnson was described as ‘respectful, kind and caring’ according to his daughter, Dana Johnson in a prior interview with PTBOCanada. She tells her dad’s story from her point of view two years ago.

Doug had suffered from schizophrenia and addiction that impacted his mental health.

He has worked at a slaughterhouse as a contractor and at the General Motors truck plant. Johnson' also worked for his father his entire life at the farm. Prior to his diagnosis, he got married and started a family.

“Taking care of our needs and mental stability is so important,” said Dana in a prior interview. “I’ve learnt that it’s okay to not feel ashamed to ask for help, not to hide, or stuff all the feelings way down deep. Because when it blows up, it could be life-changing.”

A Facebook page called ‘Surviving.PTBO’ reported his loss on Wednesday night but details have not been released regarding his death. Comments were pouring in sending condolences and sharing good memories of Doug.

“I will miss being blessed by this man every time I saw him. He would always hold the door for me and yet he never once asked for money,” said Scotty Wood in a Facebook comment. “The city won’t feel the same without Dougie. Heaven gained an angel and so did all of us here in Peterborough. This man will be watching over us all just like we watched over him.”

“Dougie, we will miss you. You were always courteous, pleasant and giving,” said Deborah Wittekoek on Facebook. “I remember way back when City Lights were still open, the owner would give him free food at closing and he would come to my cab and offer me some. I never saw anything but kindness from him. He helped me find my son one time when he went missing. He will be sadly missed but also happily remembered.”

“I will never forget you coming to my daughter’s celebration of life and you stopped in the parking lot to look in a truck mirror to check your hair,” said Gail Perry on a social media post. “You looked so nice, such a caring and thoughtful person.”

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PKAR Selects CMHA HKPR as Charity of Choice For Fundraising Efforts

Peterborough and the Kawarthas Association of REALTORS (PKAR) has chosen the Canadian Mental Health Association of Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) as their 2023 Realtors Care Charity of Choice, announced on Wednesday.

File Photo.

Each year REALTOR members of PKAR donate funds to Realtors Care which is presented to a local charity that supports housing in the community. In 2022, PKAR raised $25,919 to support the YES Shelter Peterborough as the charity of choice.

This means that in 2023 all PKAR fundraising efforts will support CMHA HKPR.

The CMHA HKPR is working hard to address homelessness and mental well-being through community-based mental health and addictions services and programs and the development of their Garden Homes Project. The goal of this program is to reduce homelessness in Peterborough City and County by providing affordable, small homes to those who are most vulnerable.

“Much of our community has been challenged with access to affordable housing. This generous donation from PKAR lends itself to creative ways to finding a solution to a highly complex problem,” says Mark Graham, chief executive officer at the CMHA HKPR. “With low vacancy rates and many people facing homelessness, this initiative is needed now more than ever.”

PKAR says they are ‘proud to support this incredible initiative which will act as a valuable ‘demonstration project’ for other tiny homes, hopefully paving the way for more affordable housing and improved health for all.’

“Unfortunately, homelessness is an ongoing struggle for some of the most vulnerable people in our community, and across the province”, says Kate Kidd, PKAR president. “Housing is a priority for our REALTOR members, and the CMHA HKPR initiative will serve to directly support this issue and give those in need a chance at a brighter future.”

For more information, visit the PKAR website.

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Team 55's Friday Night Lights Raises Over $28,000 In Its 10th and Final Year

The 10th and final year of Team 55 Let’s Tackle Suicide Awareness Friday Night Lights concluded, raising $28,000 for the campaign.

Dave Pogue at the ninth annual Team 55 “Friday Night Lights” event last year. Only one family member per player was allowed to watch the game during that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The number was confirmed by founder Dave Pogue and was recorded as the second-highest total ever raised.

The “Friday Night Lights” football game was at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School’s athletic field and has raised over $600,000 since it began in 2013.

Proceeds support Canadian Mental Health Association initiatives that helped launch the Assertive Outreach for Suicide Prevention program.

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Team 55's Friday Night Lights Running Its Final Year After a Decade; Fundraiser to Continue In Subsequent Years

The decade milestone of the “Friday Night Lights” football fundraiser for suicide awareness with Team 55 is running its last year and held at Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School this Friday.

Dave Pogue at the ninth annual Team 55 “Friday Night Lights” event last year. Only one family member per player was allowed to watch the game during that year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Photo by David Tuan Bui.

The final theme for this year’s event is a homecoming for Thanksgiving weekend. Anyone who participated in the event in the last nine years is invited to attend with opening ceremonies beginning at 6 p.m. — though fans are encouraged to arrive at 5:30 p.m. — It is also a celebration of the event’s culmination over the years.

Peterborough Petes president Dave Pogue Team 55 is having its last event because the event planning takes exhausting amounts of work and feels he’s accomplished the goal of having a “decade of discussion” regarding suicide.

“It's a lot of work, it's very difficult to put on an event like this and it's stressful because tend to want to one-up ourselves every year,” explained Pogue. “The conversation has been rampant over the last nine years which is exactly what we were after.”

Team 55 will remain active in fundraising despite Friday Night Lights doing its last year.

Pouge founded the Team 55 campaign after losing his son Mitchell to suicide. The charity is named after Mitchell’s jersey number, 55 as he captained the Adam Lions football team.

Over $600,000 has been raised for suicide awareness, aiding Canadian Mental Health Association initiatives that helped launch the Assertive Outreach for Suicide Prevention program. It provides help and resources for attempted suicide victims or those contemplating it.

The double-header football games begin with opening ceremonies beginning at 6:00 p.m. then the following matchups:

• 7:00 p.m. - Adam Scott Collegiate and Vocational Institute vs. Thomas A. Stewart Secondary School

• 9:00 p.m. Holy Cross Secondary School vs Crestwood Secondary School

The games will be broadcasted by YourTV Cogeco with the field open at full capacity.

Fundraising efforts are through donations online, their Facebook page “Team55 Tackles Suicide Awareness” or sending a cheque to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) offices at 415 Water St.

An online silent auction will run until Saturday evening. Big-ticket items include Petes private suite package, signed Steve Yzerman jersey, signed acoustic guitar by Carrie Underwood, $500 freezer meal package and more.

A barbecue is available on site that includes burgers, hot dogs, snacks, soft drinks and hot drinks.

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CMHA Offers New Courses Through HOPE Learning Centre This Fall

The Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) introducing new courses through the Helping Others Through Peer Education (HOPE) Learning Centre this fall announced on Wednesday.

Photo by Luke Best.

The courses include mental health and well-being that promote recovery, hope, empowerment, possibility and connection. Courses are collaboratively designed, developed, and delivered with individuals who have lived experience.

HOPE launched its Fall Course Catalogue and Calendar this week for City of Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough, Northumberland and Haliburton.

Courses are offered virtually and in person. The are intended for anyone over 16 that is living with a mental health concern. CMHA says it may be particularly beneficial for people who are looking to connect with others and could benefit from the support and guidance in making choices in their recovery journey.

“The H.O.P.E. Learning Centre brings innovative mental health and wellness programming to the communities we serve. It provides education in an interactive, meaningful way that focuses on improved quality of life for its participants.,” said Christine Crough, manager of peer initiatives and employment supports, “Our aim in delivering programming is to help participants feel empowered, have a sense of connection and hopefulness as they move forward in their wellness journey.”

A class list or enrollment can be found on CMHA’s website.

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CMHA HKPR Awarded Highest Possible Accreditation By "Focusing On What Matters Most'

The Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton Kawartha Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) branch has been awarded Accreditation with Exemplary Standing from Accreditation Canada, its highest possible designation.

Photo by Luke Best.

This is the second consecutive time CMHA HKPR has been awarded with this distinction.

Every four years, a team of Accreditation Canada surveyors are invited to CMHA HKPR to evaluate hundreds of criteria, based on best practices in the areas of health care quality and safety.

Based on a site visit in late May and early June 2022, Accreditation Canada has advised that CMHA HKPR met or exceeded 99.8% (504 of 505) total criteria. This is the organizations best-ever result.

“This achievement is a huge acknowledgement that can be attributed to all of the hard work and dedication of our staff and volunteers at CMHA HKPR” said Mark Graham, CEO. “Providing high-quality mental health care over the past two plus years, within the constraints of a global pandemic has challenged us. And yet throughout those years, and evidenced at our on-site survey, our employees have continuously demonstrated all the qualities that make them such an exceptional team of committed and hardworking people, who are here to provide excellent client-centred mental health care and support. Theirs is a remarkable achievement.”

The on-site Accreditation survey team specifically commended CMHA HKPR in being “focused on what matters the most”.

Surveyors noted that:

• their response to the COVID-19 pandemic was and is client-centred

• they are responsive to the increased complexity of client issues and the multiple challenging determinants of health that affects clients’ wellbeing

• that staff are “passionate and dedicated to their work”, with a “dedication to helping others and teamwork that could not be more evident”

• that they have a “collaborative, positive and cooperative” work environment

• that their leadership team is “strong, committed, and talented’

• their collective relationships with our community and health care providers are strong and positive

• a culture of quality improvement and how best to serve clients is embedded into their day-to-day operations

• their Board is diverse, talented, committed, passionate, and is well-aligned with the Mission, Vision, and Values of the organization

“Accreditation with Exemplary Standing is an amazing achievement. It is a clear demonstration of the work being done at CMHA HKPR every day, even in these challenging times,” said Valdis Martyn, Chair of the CMHA HKPR Board of Directors. “I would like to acknowledge and thank the staff and volunteers for the tremendous amount of work you do to ensure clients and their families receive the best possible quality of care every day.”

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Ride Don't Hide Event Raises Over $23,000 For New Mobile Mental Health Clinic

The Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge’s (CMHA HKPR’s) Ride Don’t Hide event raised over $23,000 for the new Mobile Mental Health and Addictions Clinic, on June 18.

Photo courtesy of CMHAHKPR.

The event took place at Heritage Pavilion and was sponsored by Toms Heating and Cooling.

“CMHA HKPR would like to sincerely thank our sponsors, riders, donors, and volunteers. This event would not have been possible without each and every one of you and we are thrilled to have raised over $23,000 to support the launch of the new Mobile Mental Health and Addictions Clinic,” says Jack Veitch, Manager of Community Engagement and Education with CMHA HKPR.

Due to the storm that occurred in Peterborough over the May Long Weekend, CMHA HKPR had to change the event location from Nicholls Oval to Heritage Pavilion. This change meant that the physical rides were cancelled, but participants were still able to gather for a celebratory BBQ which included the closing ceremony and prizes for top fundraisers. Participants were encouraged to ride on their own before or following the ceremony.

“Although we weren’t able to facilitate the physical rides this year, we were thrilled with the turnout for the celebration ceremony and it was great to be able to gather together as a community for the first time since our 2019 Ride Don’t Hide event,” says Veitch.

All funds raised from the event will go towards the Mobile Mental Health and Addictions Clinic, ‘the Road Ahead,’ which CMHA HKPR launched this fall.

‘The Road Ahead,’ will serve Peterborough and County, Haliburton, Kawartha Lakes, and Northumberland, providing mental health and addictions care to under-resourced and underserviced communities via a retro-fitted vehicle.

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CMHA HKPR Celebrates Mental Health Week With Virtual Events

The Canadian Mental Health Association Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHA HKPR) is celebrating Mental Health Week from Monday - Friday, with various virtual events.

Photo by Luke Best.

The theme of this year’s Mental Health Week is ‘Exploring Empathy,’ and CMHA HKPR is encouraging everyone to ‘#GetReal’ about how to help each other.

“One thing we all have in common is the desire to achieve mental health for all in our community,” said Jack Veitch, Manager of Community Engagement and Education with CMHA HKPR. “This Mental Health Week, we’re reminding everyone that you can make a difference in the life of someone around you that may be struggling. It might be as easy as having a conversation or helping to guide them towards care.”

As part of Mental Health Week, CMHA HKPR will be sharing various resources online as well as hosting virtual events.

On Monday, the latest data on the pandemic’s affects on Canadian’s mental health from a survey conducted by the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and UBC researchers, Assessing the Impacts of COVID19 on Mental Health, was released.

On Wednesday, a blog post on how you can make a difference in someone’s mental health, including upcoming trainings in our community, will be shared on CMHA’s website.

On Friday at 11 a.m. a virtual guided meditation will air on Instagram Live with Tanya Kowalenko Psychotherapy on the CHAHKPR Instagram page @cmhahkpr.

Visit www.mentalhealthweek.ca for info and tools about Mental Health Week.

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CMHA Sixth Annual Ride Don't Hide Fundraiser For Mental Health Hitting The Trails This June

The sixth annual Ride Don’t Hide for mental health, with Canadian Mental Health Association of Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge (CMHAHKPR) will take place at Nicholls Oval on June 18.

Sponsors gathered with CMHA HKPR at Toms Heating And Cooling on Friday. Photo by Angela O’Grady.

Ride Don’t Hide invites community members to hop on their bike and ride, while fundraising for mental health.

The funds from the 2022 Ride Don't Hide event will support CMHA HKPR's new Mobile Mental Health and Addictions Clinic, which is being launched this year. The clinic will serve the counties Peterborough, Haliburton, Kawartha, and Northumberland providing mental health and addictions care to under-resourced and underserviced communities.

The theme of this year's event is 'move more, stress less, cope better.' Recognizing the toll that the pandemic has had on individuals mental health.

This is the second year that Tom’s Heating and Cooling will partner with CMHA HKPR to present this event, though Ryan Waudby, president of Tom’s Heating and Cooling says this year they plan to do even more than last.

“We are so honoured to be a part of the Ride Don’t Hide event,” he said. “It was an awesome year last year and we broke some records, which was amazing and this year we’re going to do something a little bit different.”

This year, Tom’s Heating and Cooling will donate $50 to the campaign for every install they complete from now until the end of June, in the name of the employee that does the installation.

“What we’re seeing is we need more and more care,” said Jack Veitch, CMHA HKPR. “That’s why this mobile mental health and addictions clinic is especially integral because so many of our communities are isolated. Rural populations need care just like everybody else.”

Riders can register for a 4km, 12km or 26km ride along the Rotary Trail in Peterborough.

Registration is $30 per person and children 12 and under register for free. $30 is the minimum fee, riders are encouraged to fundraise leading up to the event.

This years fundraising goal in $25,000.

To register visit cmha.donordrive.com.

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4000 Rep Challenge Aims To Raise Awareness And Start Conversations About Mental Health

Peterborough local Joe Keating will host the second annual ‘4000 Rep Challenge’ to promote open and honest dialogue regarding mental health.

Joe and his daughter Alexis during last years event. Photo courtesy of Joe Keating.

In 2021 Keating started the 4000 Rep Challenge after struggling with depression his whole life.

“I saw something saying that 4000 people commit suicide every year in Canada,” said Keating. “I’ve had personal experience with suicide, I’m very open with my own mental health issues. One of the ways I help to mitigate my symptoms is through exercise.”

Keating, who is a certified kettlebell instructor, says the 4000 Reps Challenge is a way to recognize people who have taken their own lives and a way to open up conversations that may help someone from getting to that point.

“Exercise helps me overcome some of my struggles,” he said. “For me exercise combined with medication helps me with my symptoms everyday. It’s not for everyone but I would encourage everyone to exercise even 20 minutes a day to help them out. It’s like a physical meditation - if that makes any sense. It may not be the answer for everyone but it certainly can’t hurt to try.”

The challenge invites participants to join Keating virtually via Facebook on April 23, and complete 4000 reps of any physical activity.

Keating says he will start the day at 10 a.m. and complete 1000 reps per hour until 2 p.m. His daughter will join him lifting kettlebells while his other children will encourage them throughout the day. His wife plans to go for a 4 km run, then cheer Keating an his daughter on for the rest of the day and manage the Facebook group.

The 4000 Rep Challenge is not a fundraiser. Keating says he considered it, but ultimately decided to simply invite people to have a conversation and to let others struggling with their mental health know they are not alone.

Participate in the 4000 Reps Challenge by joining the Facebook group here.

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