The Vancouver Giants will be going green for mental health awareness Saturday night at the Langley Events Centre.
For their Feb. 3 match-up against the Medicine Hat Tigers, the Giants will be sporting green skate-laces and using green stick-tape to help create further awareness about the importance of mental health.
The Giants and the Canadian Mental Health Association Vancouver-Fraser Branch are teaming up for awareness during the game, that starts at 7 p.m.
Saturday’s game will feature:
• a CMHA kiosk so fans can learn more about mental health;
• videos featuring Vancouver players talking about the importance of mental health; and
• public address announcements about mental health.
The awareness campaign is part of the Giants’ ongoing commitment by the Giantsto and CMHA Vancouver-Fraser Branch to implement Talk Today.
Talk Today provides mental health support to players and raises awareness about mental health and suicide prevention throughout communities across the Western Hockey League.
“It is very important that our team and our league participates in this important initiative,” Giants head coach,Jason McKee said. “Every day we strive to provide a safe, enjoyable and healthy environment for our players, and the Talk Today initiative provides an excellent resource for all of us so that we can continue to have an open, honest conversation about mental health.”
A key piece of the Talk Today program has been to educate players about mental health and suicide prevention. Every team has received mental health training specific to suicide prevention. Each team is also now linked to a CMHA Mental Health Coach, who provides support and mental health resources to individuals in need.
“CMHA Vancouver-Fraser is proud to partner with the Vancouver Giants to support the players in strengthening their psychological health, building resiliency, and increasing mental health literacy and suicide prevention,” said said Sarah Zurbuchen, president of the board of directors, Canadian Mental Health Association, Vancouver-Fraser Branch.
“Through education and awareness, we will ensure mental health for all players within the communities where they live, work and play.”
Tickets for Saturday’s game are still available, starting from $19.75.
For ticket information, visit www.ticketrocket.co/Event/Season/215 or purchase them at the LEC box office before the game.
Read more about Talk Today: www.cmha.bc.ca/programs-services/talk-today/
