For the third year, a hoard of colourful, boa wrapped Jasperites will run, walk and bike around town, Saturday afternoon, in an effort to raise awareness and funds for mental health.
April 30 marks the third annual鈥攕econd official鈥擩9 Sparkle Run in memory of Jeanine D鈥橝ntonio.
Jeanine, an active community volunteer and educator known for her unmatched enthusiasm and love for life, lost her battle with depression April 16, 2014.
Her illness and death came as a shock to many and left the community questioning how someone like her could succumb to an illness so seemingly unbefitting of her personality and lust for life.
Shortly after Jeanine鈥檚 passing, her friend Tracy McKay came up with the sparkle run, as an opportunity to celebrate Jeanine鈥檚 life and capture her contagious spirit of fun鈥攁s well as her love for sparkles and boas. At first it was just supposed to be for a few of Jeanine鈥檚 running partners, but, before long, word had spread and 70 people had shown up, all in off-the-wall get-ups.
Last year, the event was formalized and more than 200 Jasperites dressed up to run, walk or bike a five kilometre loop around town, both in memory of Jeanine and to raise awareness about the pervasiveness of mental illness and to put an end to the stigma that surrounds it.
鈥淚鈥檓 really looking forward to the event and feeling that same energy that we had last year,鈥� said Lourdes Nunes, one of Jeanine鈥檚 close friends and an organizer of the event. 鈥淚 get choked up just thinking about it. I鈥檝e been to lots of events in my life and I鈥檝e never experienced energy like that.鈥�
With this third event, Nunes said the hope is to grow the Sparkle Run and encourage everyone in the community to open the conversation about mental health, stripping down the stigma, so that people can access the supports they need to live healthy lives without feeling ashamed.
To help make that possible, the newly formed J9 Sparkle Foundation is donating the funds it collects during the race and the after party at the Jasper Legion to local causes, including the Youth Community Helpers鈥� Elephant in the Room Campaign, which identifies community members who are safe to talk to about mental health and presents them with blue elephants to identify them.
The foundation has also started the Sparkle Fund, which will be administered by Community Outreach Services, to help people who are directly affected by mental health issues.
Outreach workers will be able to allocate the funds鈥�$2,000鈥攖o people who have specific needs related to mental health.
Nunes said the hope is the foundation will be able to contribute to mental health related events all year long, keeping the conversation open for more than just one day or one week.
鈥淟et鈥檚 keep that door, that conversation, open all the way through the year,鈥� she said.
To participate in the annual J9 Sparkle Run, register online at www.j9sparkle.com. The event is open to people of all ages and is meant to be fun鈥攊t鈥檚 not a race to the finish line, but an opportunity to dress up, socialize and raise awareness.
Registration is $25 for adults and $10 for kids. Youth 12 and younger are free.
The run starts at 3 p.m. Check-in is from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Jasper Activity Centre parking lot at the corner of Bonhomme Street and Pyramid Lake Road.
Registration is open during check-in and a party鈥攚ith a silent auction, food and live entertainment鈥攚ill follow the run, beginning at 4:30 p.m. at the Jasper Legion.
Nicole Veerman
[email protected]
