This week in Canada is Mental Health Week, and with it comes a variety of local activities.

“Mental Health Week is kind of an opportunity to shed some light on mental health and the importance of promoting our mental health and maintaining our mental health,” said Tasha Collins, Program Director for the Weyburn branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association.

She said that’s just what the various events taking place are meant to do, which is why CMHA branches across Canada are holding events this week.

“This is just a really great week to be able to highlight some of the different things that are going on across Canada and how to highlight and promote our mental health,” she said.

Events in Weyburn this week include the CMHA Youth Theatre Troupe’s performances of ‘That’s the GIF of It’. Collins said the whole process behind the play is impressive since the youth create it all themselves.

“They write the play all by themselves, and you know what, this is the first year that I've actually been a part of that process. I was surprised. I knew that in previous years that they were the writers and that, but to see it happen with my own eyes was a really great experience,” she said.

Tomorrow, some are taking a more permanent approach to their long-term mental health, by getting semi-colon tattoos.

“The semi-colon represents, for a writer, when they could stop their sentence but they choose not to and they choose to move on, and that's kind of symbolizing somebody struggling with their mental health and choosing to move on and find supports and continue living,” explained Collins.

The Mayor’s Luncheon will take place on Wednesday with guest speaker Ian Morrison. 

A book sale will take place at Blue Earth Environmental on Thursday and Friday at their Third Street location, from which all proceeds will go toward the Weyburn CMHA.

“We all maintain our mental health and our wellness in different ways,” Collins said. “Some people might go for a walk, some people might go for a run, some people might draw or sing. Some people read. This is just another way to connect, another way of coping and maintaining our mental health.”

Click HERE for more information on the events or the Weyburn CMHA.