The pandemic has been challenging, but the silver lining is that more people are aware of their own mental health and more willing to talk freely about their stresses and struggles. Members of our community are displaying remarkable resilience and courage in this time of crisis, and this is helping bring mental health into the open.

By joining CMHA Vernon on June 12th and taking part in CMHA’s Ride Don’t Hide, you’re raising funds for mental health in your community. That includes you and the people all around you. Imagine, Mental Health for all!

Did you know 41% of British Columbians did not receive the mental health support they needed within the past 12 months because they couldn’t afford it?

Registering for Ride Don’t Hide ensures your family, friends, and colleagues have access to CMHA Vernon’s mental health programs and services when they need it most.

The Ride Don’t Hide movement began with Michael Schratter, a Canadian teacher living with bipolar disorder who has spent his whole life educating the public about mental health. In 2010, Michael cycled around the world to share his story and empower others to help break the mental illness stigma, one pedal at a time.

• By registering for CMHA Vernon’s Ride Don’t Hide, your support adds a voice to the importance of mentally healthy communities and helps to reduce stigma and discrimination.
• We ride to raise awareness and acceptance of those living with mental illness. We ride because recovery is possible when the right supports are in place.
• We ride because healthy choices, including exercise, build resiliency and promote positive mental health.
• We ride because cycling is fun and good for us and our environment, and we ride for us, all of us.

Ride Don’t Hide offers the Vernon community a chance to connect: to their own well-being, to their mental health, to the community, and to the mental health movement. At CMHA Vernon, we know people living with mental health challenges can thrive in our communities if given the right resources: housing, support services, employment, and education opportunities.

Join us on June 12th, 2022, at Creekside Park for Ride Don’t Hide! It is more than a bike ride. It’s a movement for mental health. Please register today and join with thousands of Canadians as we bring mental health into the open.