Address to the Canadian Mental Health Association's 2014 Jimmy Richardson Walk For Wellness
Hello, today is a great day. I am so happy
to be here. I can tell you that events with Canadian Mental Health are some of
my favourite. How many people here were at the corn roast the other week? I am
glad the weather today is a little better than that Wednesday. One thing that I
like about the annual corn roasts and when I am invited for lunch at the Centre
is seeing all of my friends. It is amazing how many friends Ruth and everyone
at Canadian Mental Health and we at The Salvation Army have in common.
Sometimes when I look around I wonder whether an event is a CMHA event or an
Army church service or event.
I wonder if everyone around here knows just
how much our friends at Mental Health do in the community and even alongside
The Salvation Army. I have so much thanks to offer to everyone who is a part of
CMHA: Staff, clients, friends…
CMHA contributes so much to our community.
On behalf of The Salvation Army I thank you. Did you know that CMHA works
alongside, partners with, and helps the community in many ways?
Did you know that there have been
volunteers coming from CMHA to help out with our food bank and other activities
around the community since long before I came to Swift Current? To all of you
who work so hard, thank you.
Did you know that both our agencies are
part of the bread program where we help distribute unsold bread free of charge
from stores in town to those in real need? To all of you who work along side us
in this, thank you.
Did you know that our CMHA friends help in
the community gardens at the Army hall?
And did you know that our CMHA friends have
helped with our community kitchens? To all of you who help out, thank you.
Did you know that Ruth from CMHA has even
chaired food security meetings on behalf of Canadian Mental Health? Thank you.
Did you know that our friends at CMHA help
out with the community Christmas dinner at The Salvation Army? Really, to all
of you who work so hard, thank you.
Also did you know that – if I’m not
mistaken - Ruth was even the very first Master of Ceremonies at the community
Christmas dinners when we started them up again just a few years ago? To Ruth
and to all of you who work along side us and help out our community, thank you.
All of the staff, volunteers, and
participants have done so much for the community. CMHA is such an integral part
of the very being of Swift Current itself and I am so thankful for all the ways
I personally have been blessed by the great amount of work everyone there continues
to do. Thank you so much.
I can tell you that I honestly look forward
to the Mayor’s Lunch and other CMHA events every year. And whenever I go to a
committee or an agency meeting in town, Ruth Smith is one of the first people I
look for because she is likely to be there because she and everyone at Canadian
Mental Health do so much for everyone in Swift Current here.
The Salvation Army and I have been
incredibly blessed by the people and the work of CMHA. I am so thankful for all
of the people and ministries that we have in common. And there is one more
thing that we have in common as well: the building where CMHA meets. Did you
know that once upon a time it housed Swift Current’s Salvation Army corps? Our
2 organizations – The Salvation Army and CMHA - share passions, people, and
buildings alike. I cannot possibly tell you how grateful I am for all of my
friends at Canadian Mental Health. On behalf of The Salvation Army and all of
our friends in common, from the bottom of my heart, for all the work that you
do, thank you.
