On May 11, riders from a coast-to-coast campaign to rally support for veterans fighting post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues arrive in Cochrane.
Canadian Forces veterans will ride six hours from Calgary into the local Legion branch #15 that day. They’ll be welcomed with a barbecue and silent auction to raise donations before they continue their 11,000-kilometre ride to St. John’s, Newfoundland.
“What we’re trying to do is trying to make communities aware of the changing face of veterans. As a country, we’re getting very far disconnected from the world wars,” said Cathleen McMahon, tour manager for the ride.
“We’re trying to tell their stories as much as we can across the country for who veterans actually are today.”
McMahon said that the campaign’s mission is to highlight the changing nature of mental health challenges veterans face returning to civilian life.
With PTSD now a diagnosable disorder, and other mental health and family issues such as depression, suicide and domestic violence has been brought to national attention by campaigns like the ride, McMahon said.
“I don’t think there’s much of a difference in what people are suffering from as we go through different battles, but I think we are in a different space in time in our communities where we can recognize it better and offer better solutions to help them.”
According to a 2013 parliamentary report on veterans’ mental health, at least 23 per cent of new veterans released between 2011 and 2016 will suffer from a mental health disorder and at least 11 per cent will suffer from a severe form of PTSD.
The report also noted almost three quarters of veterans taking part in Veteran Affairs rehabilitation programs following medical release from service suffer from mental health issues.
The ride is the brainchild of veteran Paul Nichols, who served during the Balkan conflict in 1990s.
Nichols felt isolated and troubled by his experiences and the lack of acknowledgement of contemporary veterans after returning to life back in Quesnel, B.C.
After a chance encounter with a former refugee from the siege of Sarajevo – who cried as she expressed gratitude for Canadian soldiers’ role in ending the conflict – he felt compelled to increase understanding between soldiers and civilians to raise awareness of veterans struggles with mental illness.
The ride, which left the British Columbia legislature in Victoria April 13, aims to visit communities in every province.
Brian Walford, a Cochrane resident and veteran who served from 1965 to 1993 as a military repair technician, will join the riders for their excursion through Cochrane.
“We’re still there, we’re still supporting the community and the people in them whether serving or not,” Walford said.
A member of the 10th Battalion Commemorative Group, he said its members will provide a WWI Honour Guard for the day in full era uniform.
Walford expressed his gratitude to members of the public who show interest in getting involved.
“I couldn’t ask for anymore that they’re giving. They’re shaking hands, they’re saying thank you, they’re making donations and they’re just supporting us more than any government ever did so.”
He added that by supporting veterans’ organizations, the public helps not only veterans, but also their families and thus the community as a whole.
The riders are scheduled to arrive by 6:30 p.m. Monday at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch in Cochrane at 114 Fifth Ave. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for children 12 and younger and can be purchased at the Legion or by emailing [email protected]. The silent auction closes at 8:30 p.m. Doors open at 6 p.m.
For more information on The Ride Across Canada visit communitiesforveterans.com.
