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Talk Today Hockey Game- February 20th, 2025
Dec 10, 2024
The Barrie Colts to host mental health awareness game in partnership with CMHA Simcoe County
The Barrie Colts have partnered with the Canadian Mental Health Association, Simcoe County Branch for a mental health awareness game February 20th when the Owen Sound Attack take on the Barrie Colts.
The game day experience will have several features to promote the importance of mental health, including:
- A CMHA Simcoe County run kiosk on the concourse where fans can learn more about mental health and the organization’s community-based services
- A ceremonial puck drop
- Videos featuring Barrie Colts players talking about the importance of mental health
- Public service announcements about mental health and CMHA Simcoe County
- Mental health signs for fans to write on and show in unison at a designated stoppage in play
- This mental health awareness game is part of the Barrie Colts ongoing partnership with CMHA Simcoe County and its Talk Today program.
Since its launch in 2014, Talk Today has provided an important opportunity to address the mental health needs of hockey players and other athletes across Canada. From 2014 through the 2022-23 season, nearly 8,600 individuals have received mental health and suicide awareness training through the program. The vast majority of individuals trained are athletes (7,598), but coaches (381), staff (217), billets and parents (400) have also participated in training, helping to create a culture of openness within athlete support networks.
The key piece of the Talk Today program has been to educate players about mental health and suicide prevention. Each team is also linked to a CMHA mental health coach, who provides support and mental health resources to individuals in need.
For more information on the Talk Today program, visit www.talktoday.ca.
Media contact:
Liz Grummett
Manager of Fundraising, Communications and Community Engagement
CMHA Simcoe County
705 726 5033 Ext. 512
lgrummett@cmhastarttalking.ca
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About Grain Farmers of Ontario:
Grain Farmers of Ontario is the province’s largest commodity organization, representing Ontario’s 28,000 barley, corn, oat, soybean, and wheat farmers. The crops they grow cover over 6 million acres of farm land across the province, generate over $4.1 billion in production value, result in over $27 billion in economic output and are responsible for over 90,000 jobs in the province.
About Canadian Mental Health Association, Ontario:
Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), Ontario is a not-for-profit, charitable organization funded by the provincial Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. We work to improve the lives of all Ontarians through leadership, collaboration and continual pursuit of excellence in community-based mental health and addictions services. Our vision is a society that embraces and invests in the mental health of all people. We are a trusted advisor to government, contributing to health systems development through policy formulation and recommendations that promote positive mental health. Our 30 local CMHA branches, together with community-based mental health and addictions service providers across the province, serve approximately 500,000 Ontarians each year.
About the Ontario Hockey League:
The Ontario Hockey League is a proud member of the Canadian Hockey League which is the world’s largest development hockey league with 60 teams in nine Canadian provinces and four American states. In addition to the OHL, the CHL is made up of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the Western Hockey League. Last season, more than nine million fans attended CHL games in the regular season, playoffs and at the Mastercard Memorial Cup. The CHL supplies more players to the National Hockey League and U Sports than any other league. For more information, visit www.ontariohockeyleague.com.
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