Victoria’s Gillian Carleton, Olympic bronze-medal cyclist, was diagnosed with depression after medalling in the London Olympics in 2012, but believes it has been with her for years.
“I don’t think competing in itself was the root cause,” said Carleton in a telephone interview on Thursday. “It only became more obvious in that [high-performance] environment because it was harder to hide.”
“To be a successful athlete, you have to do everything really well,” she said. “But mental illness interferes with your sleep, your energy levels, your appetite and nutrition and it starts to show.”
Carleton is looking forward to next Sunday, June 25, and the Ride Don’t Hide cycling event to raise money for the Canadian Mental Health Association. The day has courses ranging from sedate to hard-core, but it’s about more than cycling.
It’s a day of coming out and talking openly about mental illness, an issue Carleton believes touches every Canadian, if not directly then through a loved one, friend or acquaintance.
“There is a sense of camaraderie in Ride Don’t Hide,” said Carleton. “Everybody is there in solidarity and support.”
Now 27 and studying at the University of Victoria, Carleton said mental illness is an ongoing condition, sometimes treated with medication, sometimes not, but always monitored.
Carleton said the self-awareness is liberating because it’s something she knows she can tackle, and has support to do so. She is gearing up and training to get back into professional cycling.
“For me, that is really exciting because it is something I thought I would never be able to do again,” said Carleton.
To learn more about Ride Don’t Hide, including how to register, go to ridedonthide.com. Click on British Columbia and scroll down to Victoria.
Synagogue welcomes Syrian family
The requirements of Kosher cooking have been acknowledged and complied with as Congregation Emanu-El synagogue opens itself to a Muslim family to prepare a meal expressing gratitude.
Rabbi Harry Brechner said Judaism’s Kosher dietary restraints align with Islam’s Halal cooking. So the Victoria synagogue can comfortably play host this month to allow a Syrian refugee family to prepare and serve a meal of traditional Syrian food, an event already sold out.
“Things that are Kosher are always Halal,” said Brechner.
Congregation Emanu-El is one of the Victoria religious communities, including Christian and Muslim, to sponsor a refugee family from Syria. The synagogue has welcomed three members of a larger extended Syrian family already in Victoria.
Brechner also said the experience has been more enriching for his congregation than anyone foresaw.
The congregation has gained a sense of empowerment through being able to help. Connections with the greater community, including the mosque, have strengthened. Jewish children donated Lego when the Syrian boy celebrated his first birthday in Canada.
“There is a Talmud saying: ‘If you help one person, then you save an entire universe,’ ” said Brechner.
Blood donations badly needed
Canadian Blood Services is asking you to help as it runs behind in its goal to collect more than 150,000 donations before Canada’s 150th birthday on July 1.
The agency was pleading with Canadians to make an appointment last week, National Blood Donor Week, June 11-17, to donate blood.
A well-stocked supply is crucial to fill needs during the summer, a time when donations typically drop off but demand does not.
Donors who give this week will be eligible to receive a special, limited-edition 150 collector pin.
Canadian Blood Services reports one in two Canadians will require a blood transfusion at some point in their life. Last year, 650,000 patients in Canada were assisted with blood, but also stem-cell and organ transplants.
To learn more and arrange for an appointment, go online to blood.ca.
Lunch will aid housing society
People who wish to dine out next weekend and help with Victoria’s housing crunch are invited to enjoy lunch and brunch at the Crooked Goose Bistro.
Restaurateurs Steve and Gina Watson have pledged to donate a portion of all lunch and brunch dishes sold Saturday and Sunday, June 24 and 25, to the Greater Victoria Housing Society with Brunch for the Housing Crunch.
The Crooked Goose, located at 4136 Wilkinson Rd., is family-friendly and specializes in classic brunch and pub fare. Brunch is served 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Reservations are advised, so call 250-590-4556.
The Greater Victoria Housing Society was founded in 1956. It is dedicated to providing good, affordable rental housing for seniors, people with disabilities, families in need and singles with low incomes.
Nurse practitioner honoured by UVic
Nurse practitioner Sara Pape-Salmon has been recognized and honoured for her long-standing commitment to treating people with mental illness.
The University of Victoria has named Pape-Salmon its Nurse Practitioner Preceptor of the Year. The university presented the award recognizing her as a teacher and as a role model on June 7 at the annual UVic Nursing Awards.
A member of the Assertive Community Treatment Teams, Pape-Salmon works with patients afflicted with some of the most severe mental illnesses and addiction issues.
As a nurse preceptor, she also works with students, especially those involved in nursing or other branches of medicine, offering assistance during practical experience sessions. Pape-Salmon also works hard to better treat patients who might have infectious diseases such as HIV or hepatitis C.
Dawn Nedzelski, Island Health chief nursing officer, said Pape-Salmon deserves thanks for her professional contributions.
And Nedzelski congratulated her for shifting community attitudes when it comes to patients who deal with mental illness and addictions.
First Nations students set records
The Cowichan Valley School District is giving a big shout-out to its First Nations students who are graduating from high school in numbers never seen before.
This year, the school district said, more than 60 First Nations students are set to graduate from secondary school. This will mark a 7.3 per cent increase in the graduation rate for aboriginal students.
The increase puts the First Nations graduation rate at 60.6 per cent, the highest ever in the district.
Also, the district is recognizing Helen Spry, an 18-year-old Grade 12 student at Lake Cowichan Secondary School, awarded the prestigious Schulich Leaders Scholarship.
The award comes with $100,000, which Spry will use to study engineering at the University of Victoria.
The Schulich Leaders Scholarship is awarded annually to 100 secondary students who intend to study science, technology, engineering or math.
High schools across Canada put forward 1,300 nominees for 50 Canadian scholarships.
Brush up on your bike skills
We never completely forget how to ride a bicycle. But getting back on the saddle at an older age can sometimes require some positive and safe reinforcement.
So adults 55 and up are invited to an introductory bike skills and knowledge course. The courses are being offered by the Greater Victoria Bike to Work Society, the Capital Regional District, Joyriding and BikeCyclers.
The courses are meant to get riders past the stage where they are saying: “I would like to but … ” to where they say: “I can do that.”
The courses are offered for three levels of skill and abilities, run on weekends throughout July and cost $25.
For more information, go online to biketoworkvictoria.ca/ bike-skills and follow the links.
Law essay a winner for Grade 12 student
Sylvan Lutz, a Grade 12 student at Reynolds Secondary School, has been selected as a winner for his essay on the rule of law.
The Law Society of British Columbia presented Lutz with second prize in its essay contest, an award that comes with $500, on June 13.
First prize and $1,000 went to Angela Tian, a Grade 12 student from Burnaby South Secondary.
Chef takes skills to the ballpark
Victoria chef Garrett Schack is stepping away from soufflés and sauces to pitch gourmet ballpark snacks next Saturday.
Garrett, executive chef at Chateau Victoria and star of Cookin’ on the Coast on CHEK TV, will be serving lunch at the concession stand at Carnarvon Park in Oak Bay from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. as the Grand Slam Gourmet.
His creations include the Nacho Pitch Dog, made with fresh salsa, melted cheese, pickled jalapeños and crumbled tortilla chips and the Grilled Cheese Curveball Burger, with Texas toast, two slices of cheese, bacon, caramelized onions and a deep fried pickle.
Proceeds from the Grand Slam Gourmet will support Kidsport and Carnarvon Ball Clubs.
Baskets are a sign of summer
The City of Victoria has put special splashes of red and white in its hanging flower baskets to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday this year.
Every spring, city workers hang more than 1,600 flower baskets.
This year marks the 80th year Victoria has hung baskets of live flowers from light standards and power poles. The first were hung in 1937 to celebrate the 75th anniversary of Victoria’s incorporation, and the tradition was born.
