Exercise for mental health

Next week is Mental Health Week, and the local Canadian Mental Health Association is challenging the community to take part by getting active.
“The focus is on making connections in the community,” said Nancy Daley of the local CMHA.
Local residents are being asked to participate in “Exercise for Health” from Monday, May 3 to Thursday, May 6. “We are asking people to walk, run, go for a ride in their wheelchair, bike ride, etc. during the week,” Daley said.
Participants should keep track of the number of minutes they spend exercising outdoors, then call, fax, or e-mail them in to Daley before 4 p.m. on Thursday.
Then next Friday at noon, the CMHA will host a barbecue for all participants at its office at 612 Portage Ave., with prizes going to the individual and the group with the most amount of minutes.
There also will be draws and participation gifts.
Registration is free, and no fundraising is required. To register, either as an individual or a group of five, contact Daley at the CMHA at 274-2347.
“It is important for people to register so that their name can go into the draw,” said Daley. “There is no registration fee for this event, and we are really hoping to get a lot of people out and participate.”
Community partners for the local event include The Place, Einar’s, Canada Safeway, McDonald’s Restaurant, and Abitibi-Consolidated.
This will be the 53rd-annual Mental Health Week, an initiative organized by the CMHA to increase awareness of the importance of good mental health as well as to highlight its role from coast to coast.
The CMHA is a registered charity, offering various programs in 135 communities across Canada.