PR students host fundraising dinner for mental health awareness

Algonquin College’s public relations students held a charity dinner on July 20 to raise money for the Royal Ottawa Mental Health Centre.

The event, titled Food for Thought, was the first part of the #ShattertheSilence campaign organized by the program.

The event was a three-course meal, for which the entry fee was $65 per person. It included a silent auction. Forty-six people attended the event, leaving only two seats empty.

The event started with Sophia Wojdak, the co-campaign manager, welcoming people and introduced the guest speaker from the Royal.

Ingrid Gingras, vice-president of communications and donor experience at the Royal, said in her speech: “Today, four in one Canadians are living with a mental illness or substance use disorder. Shockingly less than 20 per cent of those seeking help receive adequate care.” She explained that depression is the most common mental health issue the Royal sees, and how current approaches are not perfect treatment. She further said that the Royal has made “groundbreaking strides in preventing suicides” through community support and innovations. “Community support is key in turning new ideas into research, transforming these discoveries into breakthroughs, integrating them into care. Community support enables us to continually evolve mental health care and significantly improve lives.”

The first course was served at 6:30 p.m., promptly followed by a recipe video, then the entrée and the last course.

Bradley Moseley-Williams, professor and program coordinator in the public relations program, also spoke at the event to express pride for his students, “Every year the students go out in the community and they make it better. They take their education; they take their talent and they take some challenges.”

The silent auction was opened at the end for 20 minutes. People put in bids on many items, including paintings and a ring with the starting price of $195, which sold for $500. All the money from the silent auction also went to the Royal.

Gingras said: “Tonight was amazing, everyone [here] is so open to hearing about mental health, and supporting mental health and it was really wonderful.” She was impressed with the Algonquin students’ conduct and organization.

“The idea of [this] event was really fantastic and on-point, which is to support mental health by coming together with food and enjoying each other’s company.”