Taking Initiative; A Student-Run Organization in Our Community
Writer: Lauren Lacalamita
Editor: Mia Liang
Photographer: Sunday Steps 4 Mental Health
There is a need like never before to take action on subjects we derive passion from. From donating to a charity to starting your movement, it's essential to contribute and put back into our community. However, our community extends outside of Havergal’s walls, and we must nurture our city’s community just as much as our school’s. One student in particular has taken the initiative to create her passion project that supports the mental health of Torontonians. From something so simple as a walk, she has proved that we all have the potential to do more, to help more. Sunday Steps For Mental Health is a bi-weekly initiative that promotes mental well-being through community walks and activities such as painting and yoga. The focus is on raising awareness for and sparking discussion around mental health,, and raising funds for the Canadian Mental Health Association. Sunday Steps has already made a significant impact, raising close to $1700 for CMHA over the past few months. As their momentum builds and their community support grows, it's truly inspiring to see what the future holds for Sunday Steps 4 Mental Health. Mental health is health, a term that we seem to let slip our minds, especially in times when hope is yet to be found. We all need a reset, every Sunday, every week, which can bloom into an act to help everyone.
The values of Sunday Steps For Mental Health are simple, support those who need it, and walk together. It takes the separate stories from those on walks, and fuses them into one, serving as a reminder that no one is truly alone. It all started with Kiana Kay, who began to take solitary walks in Edwards Garden. Yet she soon realized that taking walks had helped carry her farther than she would imagine, becoming familiar with how helpful these walks could be. Her vision stemmed from personal values, so what better way to learn about them than to ask Kiana herself?
When asked what a moment of realization was when Sunday Steps started, she replied, “Every week, I try my best to go on a walk or run through Edwards Garden. At first, it was just a way to exercise, but as I started to go more often, I noticed its immense impact on my productivity, mood, stress levels, and overall mental well-being. This is when I realized that I wanted to share the effects walking has had on my mental health with my community. So, I created Sunday Steps 4 Mental Health, an organization dedicated to raising awareness about mental health, relieving stress, and raising funds for the Canadian Mental Health Association through walking.” It is evident here that even something as simple as walking can be transformed into an outlet for the greater good. Kiana’s biggest goal for Sunday Steps is, “to raise $10,000 over the next two years for mental health and to encourage as many people as possible to go on walks outdoors and destigmatize the topic of mental health!” Finally, the future of this organization lies within Kiana and her team’s hands, to which she says, “ In the future, I hope to expand Sunday Steps 4 Mental Health across Canada so we can help as many people as possible. I believe that walking has the power to bring people together, relieve stress, and improve quality of life. I want to build tight communities across Canada that share the main goal of spreading awareness for mental health.” The goals and aspirations cannot be reached without the help of the most valuable support system, you. With the community's help, Sunday Steps and the cause they walk for can grow.
Staff members, alumni, and students at Havergal have all experienced a slowdown due to the fast-paced nature of modern society. When things appear hopeless at the moment and the future is uncertain, it can be difficult to stay focused and in control. Mental health is health, and checking in on one's mental health should be similar to a doctor’s appointment, so it shouldn’t be prioritized differently. I truly hope this article encourages you to join in on this initiative or perhaps even start your initiative. Whatever you choose to do, prioritize you and your mental health first.