NEWS RELEASE
CANADIAN MENTAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION
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Mental health is a cause close to Toni Schofield’s heart. On April 30 the proud mom, mental health advocate and volunteer firefighter, will commence an epic 1,952 km journey on foot around Ontario, raising funds for Canadian Mental Health Association York Region and South Simcoe along the way.
“A few years ago, I was a struggling parent looking for mental health resources for one of my children and it was so hard to find the right places to get help. I don’t want any other parent or person to struggle to get the help they need,” said Schofield. “I hope my walk inspires more people to talk about mental health with the knowledge they can approach their local chapter of the Canadian Mental Health Association for resources and support.”
To donate and follow Schofield’s journey visit miles4mentalhealth.ca. Her goal is to raise $10,000. Every dollar raised will go to support programs and services at the Canadian Mental Health Association’s York Region and South Simcoe chapter.
Schofield expects the journey to take 50 days, departing from Alliston on April 30 and after a 1,952-km walk across Ontario ,arriving back in Alliston on June 18. Accompanied by an RV driven by a group of family and friends, her route includes:
- May 4 / 5 – Tobermory
- May 12 / 14 – Sarnia
- May 20 / 21 – Niagara Falls
- May 21 / 23 - Grimsby
- May 23 / 24 – Oakville
- May 25 / 26 - Pickering
- June 4 / 5 – Petawawa
- June 8 /10 – North Bay
- June 12 / 13 – Huntsville
Everett, Ont. resident Schofield is no stranger to adventure. She has previously trekked to Everest base camp, Mont Blanc and the Inca Trail in Peru. In addition to being a volunteer firefighter in Alliston, she has worked at the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) since 2017 and has been inspired by the organization’s impact in the community.
“I am taking my love of adventure and focusing it on a cause that is close to my heart. Mental health issues have touched the lives of people I love and I couldn't be more proud to be able to bring funding and awareness to this cause,” explained Schofield. “Every day I see how CMHA helps so many people and their families, in so many ways, and I want to help provide more resources and programming to help even more people and their loved ones.”
“I’m so inspired by Toni. This will truly be an incredible journey spawned from a deep belief in the resiliency and recovery of each child, youth, adult and family impacted by mental health issues," says Canadian Mental Health Association York Region and South Simcoe CEO, Rebecca Shields.
"Now, more than ever the conversation about mental health is in the spotlight. As we cheer Toni along, we can show our support by joining the conversation and donating to her campaign to raise much-needed funds for services and programs. Her passion and dedication are testament to the fact that, for CMHA staff, creating mental health for all isn’t just a job, it’s a purpose. I’ll be cheering her on every step of the way!”
Schofield will be sharing photos and stories of her walk on Instagram @TonisMiles4MentalHealth and on Facebook @Miles4MentalHealth.
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