The Christmas season can be especially difficult for those experiencing the darkness of mental illness. It’s for them, their families, and their loved ones that the Eden Foundation will hold its second annual Light Up the Night event on Sunday, November 30 at the Eden Mental Health Centre grounds at 1500 Pembina Ave in Winkler.
As Tyson Deceuninck, Eden’s marketing and events manager, explains, the event will serve as a symbol of light amidst darkness.
“A lot of people who experience mental illness often feel like they’re in the darkness,” he says. “They might be isolating; they might just want to stay at home. We want to shine a light forward and provide hope for those going through mental health challenges.”
The event features free admission, games, activities and a tree lighting ceremony that symbolizes hope for those facing mental health challenges.
All funds raised by generous event sponsors will support the work of Eden Health Care Services through the Eden Foundation. Eden provides in- and out-patient psychiatric care, supportive housing, therapeutic counselling and employment services for those facing mental illness and other challenges.
“Light Up the Night symbolizes hope in the community,” says Deceuninck. “It’s a symbol of the community coming together to provide that hope, provide that light.”
A feature of this year’s event will be the Christmas Market, which will take over the Eden Mental Health Centre grounds at 1500 Pembina Ave at 11:00 a.m. For anyone looking for unique, locally-made Christmas gifts, or simply wanting to enjoy the atmosphere of a market, it’ll be the perfect opportunity to do some shopping and connect with the community.
“The Christmas Market is a big new thing for us,” Deceuninck says. “We’ll have a number of food vendors to choose from, and local craftspeople will be selling the items they’ve made.”
Deceuninck himself has been heavily involved in creating the kid-friendly Christmas Carnival, which will engage participants in outdoor games and activities.
“It’s like a real-life arcade,” he explains. “There will be a snowball toss where you have to throw snowballs through Christmas wreaths, and we also have a penguin waddle relay in which you put a dodgeball between your knees and waddle to a candy cane where you pick up different presents and then waddle back. We’ll have a present-stacking challenge and Rudolph dice roll where you try to roll the dice in Rudolph’s nose – a big red circle on the ground.”
Like in a traditional, indoor arcade, successful players win tickets that they can collect and exchange for prizes. Many of the gifts to be won are geared to kids, but the carnival is open to all ages.
The hay rides are sure to be popular as well, and they’ll also look quite a bit different than last year’s, when a tractor pulled the hay wagon. This time around, Light Up the Night will have Clydesdale horses doing the pulling.
It will all make for a magical, meaningful winter event, although Deceuninck concedes he’s at the mercy of Mother Nature for some attractions.
“The Winkler Flyers actually came out and helped us assemble an outdoor rink,” he says. “If we get cold enough weather, we’ll have ice.”
Finally, the day will wrap up with a tree-lighting ceremony, scheduled to begin at around 5:30 p.m. It will quite literally Light Up the Night.
The Foundation team has partnered with one of Eden’s supportive housing units to create and provide handmade ornament sets for the event. This is a part of the residents’ skill development in supportive housing, as well as giving back to the community. These ornament sets can be purchased for $30, with part of the funds going to the Eden Foundation and a portion going back to the residents to support the skill development program. The ornament sets will be available for purchase at the welcome table, and residents are very eager to show them off.
Those wishing to make additional contributions, whether as part of a business or individually, can do so by sponsoring one of the 5- or 10-foot Christmas trees or giant candy canes that will decorate the grounds. There will also be a large stocking on hand that people can fill, not with money, but rather with physical items such as toques, mitts, socks and toothbrushes.
“A lot of folks who are in crisis end up at the health centre with only the shirts on their backs,” Deceuninck says. “They are missing some of those basic necessities upon arrival, and these donations will go directly to the Mental Health Centre and on to those who need them.”
Deceuninck also points out that for anyone who might be struggling with a mental health issue, Eden offers services as wide-ranging as therapy, career guidance and inpatient services.
“We have so many services that are meant to bring people out of their darkness. It’s what we do,” he says.
Light Up the Night and Christmas Market will be held on the grounds of Eden Mental Health Centre, at 1500 Pembina Ave in Winkler. The event will begin with the Christmas Market at 11:00 a.m. and conclude with the tree lighting from 5:30 p.m. to about 7:00 p.m. Admission is free, and all donations will go directly to the Eden Foundation.
Additional information about Eden Health Care Services can be found on its website.
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