INNISFAIL - The first Yellow Bucket Bonspiel was a win-win for the Innisfail Curling Club and for mental health awareness.
“It exceeded my expectations,” said Rick More, founder of the Smiles Thru Lindsey Foundation, of the event held Nov. 4 to 6 at the Innisfail Curling Club. “It was so good to see the (participants and volunteers).
“Every event we'd done, we've been humbled to see the support from people during these tough times,” he added, noting the many from Innisfail who came out to help, as well as those who provided corporate sponsorship for the inaugural event.
The Yellow Bucket Bonspiel is a curling fundraiser hosted by the Smiles Thru Lindsey Foundation. It is named for More's daughter Lindsey, an avid curler who took her own life in September 2015 at the young age of 22. The foundation was created in October 2015 to bring about mental health awareness and financially help those suffering with mental heath issues.
More noted the efforts by all 32 teams, close to 200 people in attendance and those who participated in the event. They included curlers of all ages.
“There were some curlers that were six, seven, eight years old and they had a team called the Little Rascals. (It was great) to see them down there curling and having so much fun,” he said. “That's why we're here. It's about our youth.”
In addition to the fun, said More, participants also commented on the positive energy during the event and their willingness to help those in need.
“(It was) a gathering of people that truly want to help in any way they can and understand we have to start doing something,” explained More, noting that even more important than raising funds was helping overcome the stigma associated with mental health issues.
“(We have) to get through to people that we have to start talking about this,” he added.
More said there have been many touched by the foundation's efforts to help those who suffer as well as educate and promote awareness about mental health. It is that work by the Smiles Thru Lindsey Foundation, combined with events like Innisfail's Yellow Bucket Bonspiel that will help continue Lindsey More's legacy.
“In a year that people could have easily forgotten about Lindsey and those that suffer, it's done the opposite. It just keeps building,” said More. “It just doesn't peter out. We won't let it.”
Rick More
"In a year that people could have easily forgotten about Lindsey and those that suffer, it's done the opposite. It just keeps building."
