Colour Run puts focus on mental health

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This article was published 21/09/2017 (2401 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

An event coming to the town of Niverville will see brightly coloured walkers and runners take over the streets, while also working to raise awareness about mental health issues, and where people who are struggling can go if they feel they need help.

“What we like to do is make sure the community is aware that people are around that are willing to talk and willing to listen, and we are here to help people come to terms with the issues that they struggle with,” Niverville Imagine Run event co-chair Jazmin Dobson said.

“It’s ok not to be ok, and that’s the big thing we want people to understand.”

The Niverville-based Imagine: Mental Health Matters organization will hold the 2017 Imagine Run in Niverville this Saturday, but this year they have teamed up with Winnipeg based company PartiLife, and added a new and colourful twist to the annual event.

This year’s run has been dubbed the Imagine in Colour event, and will see participants take part in a colour run.

Approximately every kilometer along the route will see a colour station where those who are on the sidelines can throw colour powder at runners, who will ultimately end up being covered in a variety of bright colours.

Dobson said Imagine: Mental Health Matters holds fun events like the Imagine Run as a way to raise awareness and start conversations about mental health issues.

“Imagine is a small group of community volunteers, and we work towards destigmatizing mental health issues and suicide,” Dobson said. “And we do this by throwing events in the community.”

Dobson added they want to create awareness about mental health issues so that those who are suffering or are watching their loved ones suffer can feel comfortable seeking help, and not be forced to suffer alone.

“We just really want to make sure the community knows this is something they can talk about,” Dobson said. “Many who are suffering often try their best to keep this from others, but we want people to know it’s ok to have bad days, it’s ok to struggle and it’s ok to talk about it.

“There are always resources in the community that people can access if they need.”

Imagine in Colour kicks off this Saturday at Hespeler Park in Niverville with registration starting at 2:30 p.m., and the walk/run starting at 3:30 p.m.

Participants can take part in either a five or 10 km walk or run, and the run will be followed by a BBQ dinner, and a glow paint after-party that will feature a live DJ and dancing.

Online registration for the Imagine Run in Niverville is now closed, but Dobson said they will allow walk up registration on the day of the run, and people can also purchase tickets for the glow paint after party, even if they don’t take part in the run.

Money raised from the event will go to support the mental health ward at the Niverville Health Foundation.

More information on the Imagine: Mental Health Matters organization and the 2017 Imagine Run in Niverville can be found by visiting imaginementalhealth.com.