Beneath overcast skies that threatened rain but never delivered, more than 200 participants gathered at Owen Sound’s Harrison Park on Saturday, united by a common purpose: breaking the silence around mental health struggles. The annual Walk for Courage event has once again demonstrated the power of community action, raising over $35,000 to support vital mental health services in Grey-Bruce counties.
“When we started this walk five years ago, we had forty people and raised just under $5,000,” explained Mark Williams, founding organizer and mental health advocate. “To see it grow to this scale shows how our community is increasingly willing to acknowledge mental health challenges and take concrete action.”
The funds raised will directly benefit the Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce Branch’s youth counseling programs and crisis intervention services. According to CMHA statistics, demand for mental health support in rural communities has increased by approximately 27% since the pandemic began, making fundraising initiatives like this increasingly critical.
Participants followed a scenic 5-kilometer route through Harrison Park, wearing teal shirts emblazoned with messages of hope and remembrance. Many walked in memory of loved ones lost to suicide or in support of family members currently navigating mental health challenges.
“I’m walking for my brother today,” shared participant Sarah Millington, wiping away tears. “Two years ago, he was in crisis and couldn’t find immediate help. Today, I’m here to ensure others have better access to services when they need them most.”
The event featured several powerful moments, including a memorial wall where attendees could post photos and messages honoring those lost to mental illness. Local musician Emma Thompson performed an original composition about her journey with depression, creating what many described as the emotional centerpiece of the event.
Grey-Bruce has faced particular challenges in mental health service delivery, with recent health system reports indicating wait times for specialized mental health services can extend beyond six months. These extended delays often come at critical moments when immediate intervention could prevent crisis escalation.
Dr. Rajiv Khaneja, clinical psychologist and keynote speaker at the event, emphasized the transformative impact of community-based support systems: “Clinical services are essential, but they’re just one piece of the mental health puzzle. Events like this create connections and reduce stigma in ways professional services alone cannot achieve.”
Local businesses demonstrated remarkable support, with Owen Sound’s Bayshore Credit Union providing a $5,000 matching donation and several downtown restaurants donating refreshments for participants. This robust business involvement reflects growing recognition of mental health as not merely a personal health issue but a community-wide concern affecting workplaces and economic vitality.
“The business community has really stepped up this year,” noted Julia Sanchez, CMHA Grey Bruce fundraising coordinator. “They recognize that supporting mental health initiatives isn’t just philanthropy—it’s an investment in workforce wellbeing and community stability.”
Organizers highlighted that while the fundraising goal was exceeded, the event’s impact extends far beyond financial metrics. “The conversations happening here today, the stories being shared—these are the true measure of success,” Williams emphasized. “Five years ago, these discussions were whispered. Today, they’re happening openly.”
The event concluded with a lantern release ceremony at dusk, with participants writing messages of hope on biodegradable lanterns before releasing them into the evening sky. The image of hundreds of glowing lanterns rising above Harrison Park served as a powerful visual metaphor for the event’s purpose: bringing mental health struggles out of darkness and into light.
As communities across Canada grapple with mental health service gaps, grassroots initiatives like the Walk for Courage demonstrate the potential for local action to create meaningful change. The question now facing Owen Sound and similar communities isn’t simply how to maintain such momentum, but how to translate this outpouring of support into sustained, systemic improvements in mental health care accessibility for all residents, regardless of geography or economic circumstance.
