CMHA Kenora would like to recognize the incredible support that the community of Kenora and its surrounding area has shown for the initiatives that have been developed in honour of Sam Bush, to raise awareness and funds for the prevention of suicide. We previously partnered with Sam’s mother, Tammy Bush, to create Sam’s Tags clothing, with all proceeds from the sale of clothing items with Sam’s logo on them going to CMHA Kenora. This project has been very successful so far, with over $4600 raised to date to support mental health services and suicide prevention initiatives in the district.

Spirit Oak Tea also worked with Tammy to develop “Sam’s Tea,” a tea blend that was created with Sam in mind. It has the potential to aid with relaxation, soothe anxious thoughts, and reduce chronic pain, so it’s perfect for skateboarders like Sam, for whom scrapes and bruises are commonplace. Spirit Oak has been donating 100% of the profits from Sam’s Tea to CMHA Kenora, with over $1400 raised in just a few months.

Certain programming that serves to prevent mental health challenges, rather than treat them directly, is not funded by the government and thus, supported entirely by fundraising initiatives and donations to CMHA Kenora. One such program that we’ve been able to implement thanks to the community’s support is Skills for Safer Living. In this program, individuals aged 16 and over with recurring suicidal thoughts and tendencies spend twenty weeks in a group setting with multiple facilitators, where they develop specific strategies and skills to identify, interrupt, and change their behaviour about suicide.

We will soon be training ten additional staff members as facilitators for these sessions, so that we may continue to provide the service for those who need it and foster an environment at our agency that is knowledgeable about and equipped to deal with matters that pertain to suicide.

We are incredibly grateful for Spirit Oak’s support and dedication to ensuring the mental health of our community. Thank you to the owner, Bree, and to all of those who continue to purchase the tea and raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention. Sam’s Tea is a permanent fixture at Spirit Oak that will continue to be available, as will Sam’s Tags Clothing as more items are developed and restocked. We recently had a new variety of colours of hoodies, crewnecks, and t-shirts delivered to Board Anyone, that we have been happy to see selling very quickly.

We hope that as people continue to wear Sam’s logo and support Sam’s Tea, that we witness more openness to speak about suicide, so that people who are struggling feel comfortable to reach out and are given the resources to do so. Simply talking about suicide does not influence people to act on their own suicidal thoughts, but rather when done in a way that doesn’t glamorize or stigmatize suicide, can be instrumental in preventing it. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, please contact our district’s 24/7 crisis response services at 1-866-888-8988.