OTR4MentalHealth

08/06/2025

Until 5:30pm today Brew Revolution. Fundraiser for Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa / Bureau des services à la jeunesse.

Great food, great beer and great tunes! If you can't make it out, you can tune in live at

06/06/2025

Although the media was quieter this year, it wasn't completely absent.

March 31, 2025 - CTV Morning Live

May 30, 2025 - CBC Ottawa Morning

May 31, 2025 - CBC In Town and Out

May 31, 2025 - Stittsville Central

(Links to the interviews can be found at - https://otr4mentalhealth.com/media/ )

Thank you for running the story and for the listeners/readers who met me on the route, brought girl guide cookies, bagels and your company!

Interviews 2025 March 31, 2025 – CTV Morning Live May 30, 2025 – CBC Ottawa Morning May 31, 2025 – CBC In Town and Out May 31, 2025 – Stittsville Central Interviews 2024 Feb…

06/06/2025

The number of people sharing the event this year was amazing! With the exception of a few media outlets, local and community media were uninterested in the story but your voices rang loud by sharing the posts!

On top of the shares, Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and the following Councillors, supported and got the word out through their social media and newsletters:

Councillor Matt Luloff (Ward 1 – Orleans-East Cumberland)
Councillor David Hill (Ward 3 – Barrhaven West)
Councillor Cathy Curry (Ward 4 – Kanata North)
Councillor Glen Gower (Ward 6 – Stittsville)
Councillor Theresa Kavanagh (Ward 7 – Bay)
Councillor Rawlson King (Ward 13 – Rideau-Rockliffe)
Councillor Jeff Leiper (Ward 15 – Kitchissippi)
Councillor Shawn Menard (Ward 17 – Capital)
Councillor Marty Carr- (Ward 18 – Alta Vista)
Councillor Catherine Kitts (Ward 19 – Orléans South-Navan)
Councillor Wilson Lo (Ward 14 – Barrhaven East)

Thank you to all of you for your support and to Glen Gower (we didn't get a picture!), Rawlson King and Theresa Kavanagh who managed to break away from their busy schedules to meet me on the route.

As I said at Major's Hill Park, "It was a miserable walk but it is also a miserable topic but together, we can bring sunshine!"

06/06/2025

Pretty sure that I'm going to be enjoying a little "Walkin' on Sunshine" on Sunday. Fits my theme and my tastes!

Come down to Brew Revolution on Sunday and support an amazing local micro-brewery and at the same time, support Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa / Bureau des services à la jeunesse

Come join us this Sunday for an eventful afternoon of Music for the Youth Services Bureau. Even is from 12:30 pm to 5pm as we are raising money for the Youth Mental health fund. See you all there!🍻

fundraiser #613

05/06/2025

Without the generosity of our sponsors, the walks wouldn't be possible!

Thank you once again, to all of our sponsors for 2025:

Baker Tilly Ottawa LLP has been a major sponsor for the last 3 years and in addition to the funding, I participated in a walk and talk over lunch with their employees to raise awareness to the event and the on-going crisis.

Tubman Funeral Homes is another one of our major sponsors who has also been on board for the last three years. Ingrid and I had a wonderful meeting with the Tubman group in 2023 where we left a memorial stone for Aric in the "Fountain of Reflections" at their Garden Chapel in Nepean.

Bushtukah officially joined us for the first year this year, although, last year, they did provide us with a discount on shoes and some much appreciated advice. The expertise of their staff in their respective departments are unmatched!

Popeye's Supplements Ottawa were back on board this year for the second year in a row and has always been my go to for supplements while I am training, even before the sponsorship. The staff have always been a huge supporter of the events.

Mentally Nourished Healthy eating and quick healing all thanks to my wife and owner of Mentally Nourished. Although not the specialty of her business, I am always up and around within a day of these crazy distances!

Anne Girard has been responsible for the most amazing pictures and has helped us tell our story with the most incredible visuals! For all of you pet people out there, you need to check out Anne's incredible work!

Thank you all! We are so fortunate to have all of you as partners!

05/06/2025

It has been 5 days since the walk and I am almost recovered. The worst of it was that I wasn't feeling well on Friday so walking in the rain and cold, didn't help. I was battling a cold/flu over the last few days but I think that the worst is over. As for the blisters, Ingrid made short work of those! I was up and walking around on Sunday!

The final numbers were:
- Distance walked - 105km
- Steps taken - 144,000 steps
- Raise for Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa / Bureau des services à la jeunesse - $10,043 (*Donations still being accepted at https://otr4mentalhealth.com/donations-ottawa-2025/)

Thank you Patti Murphy (Executive Director, YSB Charitable Foundation) and Michelle Crogie (Executive Director, Pleo - Family Peer Support) for speaking on Saturday!

Thank you to all of the supporting organizations for helping to get the word out!
- Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa / Bureau des services à la jeunesse
- Soul Space Ottawa
- MomsStopTheHarm
- CMHA Ottawa
- Operation Come Home
- Psychiatric Survivors of Ottawa- PSO
- Ottawa Black Mental Health Coalition
- Ottawa West Four Rivers Ontario Health Team
- Pleo - Family Peer Support

Together, there is hope.
..and thank you Anne Girard for the incredible photos, once again!

31/05/2025

Finished! In the end, 105 km, 144,000 steps in miserable weather (18.5 of 24.5 hours) but every step was worth it.

I was tired from the start which meant fewer social media posts because I just wanted to focus on crossing the finish line.

I will rest now and post a recap in the next few days.

Thank you to all of our supporters, our sponsors Baker Tilly Ottawa LLP, Tubman Funeral Homes, Popeye's Supplements Ottawa, Bushtukah and our corporate donors, Laurin group and Dave's Drum Shop

Thank you to all of the City Councillors who supported us once again and to Glen Gower - Councillor / Conseiller - Stittsville, Theresa Kavanagh Bay Ward and Rawlson King for meeting me on the route. The other supporting councillors had prior engagements but, nonetheless, their presence was felt!

Donations to Youth Services Bureau of Ottawa / Bureau des services à la jeunesse will remain open for the next couple of weeks so if you were hoping to support this cause, you can do so at

https://otr4mentalhealth.com/donations-ottawa-2025/

31/05/2025

Home stretch on Rideau St. We will head straight to Majors Hill Park. We won't be dipping down to the YSB drop in and not hitting the bridge. 12:30 pm arrival

31/05/2025

Should be arriving between 12 and 12:30. Currently on St. Joseph heading straight to the finish line

31/05/2025

I've been walking on blisters for the last 20 km so it has been a lot slower. My feet got wet and I had to shift to a shoe that wasn't suited for distance.

With that being said, I will continue down Innes Rd instead of Navan Road to try to get me closer to the schedule.

This is the route that I accidentally took in 2023 but this time, it will be intentional.

This will still get me to all wards in the city.