Sherwood Park businessmen support mental health
Two local cyclists will back the CASA Foundation’s justannounced promise to raise $5 million over the next 10 years to improve front-line care of children and youth with mental health and addictions issues.
Chad Stewart, 42, and Shane Kyle, 38, both Sherwood Park businessmen with families, will sponsor CASA bike rides for the next three years.
“We have set our goal at raising $75,000 this year,” said Stewart, who with Kyle and their wives own Concrete Blonde Salon-Spas in Sherwood Park and Fort Saskatchewan.
“As one who has suffered from depression, anxiety and tried committing suicide at the lowest point in my life, I do not want to see or hear anyone go through what I did just a few years back,” Stewart said.
CASA, a child, adolescent and family mental health organization, has committed to providing the funds to the University of Alberta’s department of psychiatry to develop a new CASA research chair in child and adolescent mental health.
Kyle and Stewart took part in last year’s Minds over Mountains
CASA bike ride to Jasper from Vancouver. Kyle said he was “mentally done” after the first day, which involved a 1,200-metre elevation gain.
But he’s not a quitter. At the age of 22, Kyle launched his Clear Skies heating and air conditioning company in a difficult market and today employs 80 people.
“That first day’s ride was the toughest thing I have ever done,” he said. “But for a week, we pedalled with a tight, familylike group that proved inspirational.
“On the last night, CASA staff spoke to us movingly about kids, families and young people’s mental-health challenges. Chad and I both decided we wanted to help make a difference and stepped forward as sponsors.”
Denise Milne, CEO of CASA, said there are all kinds of gaps in the area of youth mental health.
“We see a variety of children struggling with mental health challenges ranging from eating and sleeping disorders, to attention deficit disorder, to depression and anxiety,” she said.
“Through the CASA research chair we have a chance to generate expertise within Alberta that hasn’t previously been available.”
According to the Mental Health Commission of Canada, an estimated 1.2 million children and youth in Canada are affected by mental illness — yet less than 20 per cent will receive appropriate treatment. It is believed approximately 20 per cent of Canadians will have developed a mental illness by age 25.
BLACK TIE EVENT
Stewart and Kyle’s first move to support CASA is the black-tie Celebrating Courage event on April 14 at the showroom of their presenting sponsor, Lexus of Edmonton West.
“CTV is on board as our media sponsor and with the support of other sponsors in the community and strong live and silent auction items, we hope to raise more than $30,000, Stewart said.
Tickets are $125 at Eventbrite or 780-416-4949.
Stewart, an entrepreneur who is active in planning corporate and private events, has also been thinking of other ways to get the community involved and spread awareness of CASA.
Bev Facey and Salisbury Composite high schools were approached and have agreed to stage 24-hour Bike-a-Thons on April 20-21 called Tour de Park.
In the meantime, the duo won’t be stopped from their daily training regime.
“We hit the gym together every day or go to intense bike spin classes,” Kyle said. “We do also at times spin at home and watch Netflix. We both have two children who keep us running all over the place. Fortunately our families are very close and we do many activities together.”
Go to mindsovermountains.org to learn about this year’s 900-kilometre ride back from Kaslo, B.C., which comes home to Jasper via Golden, Radium, Lake Louise and the Icefields.
Or better still, meet many riders and hear of the event plans on March 8 at 6 p.m. at the new CASA Centre building in Allendale, 10645 63 Ave.