Crossing the Canyon for Mental Health

Six “Plus 60” individuals from the Fort Garry Mennonite Brethren Church in Winnipeg are preparing to hike through the Grand Canyon, September 14-18 and raise funds for Eden Health Care Services.  The hikers will carry their own food, water and other essentials for the 4 day hike through the Canyon, so the excursion involves navigating uneven terrain in hot weather with backpack loads of 14 – 22 kilograms. The Grand Canyon of the Colorado River is one of the seven natural wonders of the world and the difference of elevation from the North Rim to the bottom is more than one mile.

 

The members of the hike are Anne and Jerry Friesen, Dave Loewen, John Janzen, John Pankratz and John Unger.

Grace and Bill Martens, Grace Loewen, Ruth Janzen, Pat Pankratz and Merril Unger will make the trip with the hikers as their support team.

 

Funds raised will be receipted by Eden Foundation and designated for the new Winnipeg Housing Initiative that is scheduled for construction beginning this September.  The Eden Winnipeg Housing Initiative is a joint venture for a new 45 unit apartment building in Winnipeg that will provide safe affordable homes for families and adults having difficulty finding housing, including those with mental health issues. The building will be located on the existing Concordia Housing campus on Molson Street. Eden Health Care Services will operate the facility and funding of $11,102,588 has been secured from the Governments of Manitoba and Canada. Crossing the Canyon for Mental Health will seek to make a significant contribution toward Eden’s project fund commitment of $40,000.

Eden Health Care Services is soliciting donations for this quality and affordable housing project. Providing a safe home is essential to good mental health. For a charitable receipt, donations should be made out to Eden Foundation – Winnipeg Housing Initiative.  Funds in excess of the requirements for the Winnipeg Housing Initiative will continue to be used in other Eden Housing projects.

Donations may also be made on-line HERE.  

Open for Business

So what do you do on a hot summer day and there's no school?  Leah and Evan Hildebrand decided to create their own fund-raiser!

Their mom Vanessa helped a little too.  She made the chocolate chip cookies and made sure there was lots of ice for the lemonade.  Proud dad Ryan, made a point of saying that the idea was the creation of these young socially conscious entrepreneurs.

After a good days work Leah and Evan showed up at the Eden Health Care offices and turned over $65 in support of mental health services.

It would appear that "I'm bored!" is not a common complaint in this house.  It might be advisable to watch for these two as future board members for some worthwhile organization.