More than one in five people in Thunder Bay suffer from mental illness.
But most aren’t getting the treatment they need. Children’s Centre Foundation Thunder Bay, which helps local youth with mental illness, has a waitlist of more than 150 people at any given time with some children not being able to receive treatment more than a year.
Foundation director Tom Walters said the same is true for the local Canadian Mental Health Association, which helps adults with mental illness.
“Both organizations really do not get enough money from government to run all the services that we do,” Walters said. ‘If we don’t get the kind of money that we need it just really means we don’t provide as much service.”
The organizations are hoping the third annual Styles and Smiles fundraiser will help them help people get the treatment they need. But with the $75 a ticket event coming up Oct. 24 at the Valhalla Inn, only half of the tickets are sold.
“Thunder Bay’s a last minute town we’re hoping people are going to come out,” Walters said.
Along with a dinner, fashion show and comedy by Erica Sigurdson, the event has prizes ranging from a signed Montreal Canadiens jersey, a Coach purse or a trip for two anywhere WestJet flies. There’s also an art auction.
“We’ve got a little bit of everything,” Walters said.
“These are services that are here in the community that really help people in our community. This is a great opportunity for people to have fun and raise money for two good charities.”
All of the money, which has been as much as $30,000 in previous years, stays in Thunder Bay.
Tickets can be purchased by calling 345-5000 and are also sold at the Valhalla Inn.
