Vaughan Walk So Kids Can Talk event raises money for Kids Help Phone's Feel Out Loud campaign

Over 90 teams across Canada in 17 cities participated with BMO and Bell being 2 of the event’s biggest sponsors

yorkregion.com
Brian Capitao
May 23, 2023

Addressing mental health is a marathon, not a sprint.

On Sunday, May 7, BMO held a sponsored event at the Boyd Conservation Area at Hillview Park. The run was an effort to raise funds for Kids Help Phone's new Feel Out Loud campaign, as part of Walk So Kids Can Talk five-kilometre run.

"This is a campaign that we launched about two months ago. It's a $300-million fundraising campaign that goes through to the end of 2024," said Justin Scaini, senior vice president of culture and chief strategy officer for Kids Help Phone.

The Feel Out Loud campaign is Kids Help Phone's fundraising effort to expand e-mental health care to scale across Canada. But the fundraising effort for Kids Help Phone spans more than two decades.

York region holds the fourth largest fundraising effort for Walk So Kids Can Talk in Canada, says Mary Mauti, volunteer chair for York Region Kids Help Phone.

York region's target to help was $440,000 and even got a little help from Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca with a donation of $5,000 from the city's Spirit of Generosity fund.

"Mary Mauti is a force of nature. If you ever said the word 'no,' it's probably the last time you uttered the word," Del Duca joked as he presented the cheque.

Anyone can join in the fundraising, according to Scaini.

"So anyone can set up a team, whether it's a company team, you can do it --- with your soccer team if you want. But anyone can set up a team and teams sort of raise money that contributes to their team’s goal, which obviously contribute to our overall fundraising goal for the for the walk, which is $3,4 million," said Scaini.

Mauti who has been organizing the Walk So Kids Can Talk event in York region for the last 15 years says she was inspired to create the event because she herself was bullied as a child and can sympathize with the youth of today.

"You got to remember through the teenage stages, everybody goes through changes in life. And what (sic) we can't get help at home. We can talk a lot more efficiently with people that are not our own friends or not our own family," said Mauti.

Longtime participant Marilyn McGrath has been attending the event for the last 23 years. McGrath, while not a resident of York region, trekked out from Scarborough to attend the event in Vaughan.

She believes the cause is a noble one.

"I think the passion, if anything, has increased, as they mentioned up there on the stage today, the need has certainly not decreased. It continues to increase," said McGrath.

"I’ll be back to number 24, I'm sure," she said.