A fundraiser dinner is being held at the Royal Canadian Legion for the Seas to Sea for PTSD Walk across Canada. Fundraiser Organizer and Primary Care Paramedic Melinda Devine explains Sea to Sea for PTSD was started by Veteran Law Enforcement officer Chad Kennedy, who was one of the first responders on-site at the Columbia Ice Fields rollover in 2020. Devine says last year Kennedy completed the first leg of his walk from Cranbrook B.C. to Montreal Quebec; back on June 2nd, he started the second leg of his walk in Quebec City.
“He will be zoomed in during the dinner to talk about his walk across Canada, all the people and first responders he has met on his walk, and also his battle with post-traumatic stress,” Devine says. “The funds raised are going to be going back into mental health initiatives for first responders and trying to change the stigma.”
Devine who has returned from working with a group of first responders fighting the fires in northern Alberta says there is still a stigma around these topics and it is still something that is not talked about because it is “their job.”
“When a crisis happens like this it is our role, it is our job, but then we might get burnt out, and we need the community to stand up for us.”
“Sometimes the battle for post-traumatic stress is a very lonely battle for first responders because there is shame around it and I really want to advocate for other members that maybe suffer in silence; so people know they aren’t alone, but also first responders are there for us on our worst days so we have to be there for theirs.”
Doors for the dinner on June 24th will open at 4 p.m., with Kennedy video conferencing in around 6 p.m. Tickets are available on Eventbrite, as well as at the door, and are $45.