The Legend Tournament 2017

20 % of our event day volunteers have lost a parent to suicide.

80% of our event day volunteers have lost a family member or close friend to suicide.

100% of our event day volunteers either struggle with  mental health issues or love someone who does.......

This wonderful group of people gave their time generously to the tournament to support others because it's a cause that is personal and important to them. In recognition of the day and of their contribution we asked to hear their perspectives on the day and we offer them as our official thank you........

"I chose to volunteer this year for a few reasons. The first was to support others affected by the loss of someone that died by suicide. Second was that proceeds from the tournament were going to a cause that is so incredibly important to me and third was to listen to other people's story regarding mental health / suicide and share my story as well. I also want to do all that I can to decrease the stigma around mental illness. Three and a half years ago, I lost my dad to suicide. Being a part of the tournament  allowed me to connect with people the "get it" and have experienced this bizarre and frustrating grief cycle....." ~ KB

"There is strength in numbers! Not only does the tournament raise money for this important cause but it also brings a whole bunch of people together and starts a conversation. If talking openly about mental illness/suicide was more common, people may identify the 'symptoms' and feel like they are not alone...." ~AL

"Having anxiety myself and having been open about it through social media, a lot of people privately approached me to tell me their own stories. There are so many people fighting their own battles in secret. I hope events like this can change the stigma so people are able to be open about what's happening for them and  also be able to find the courage to reach out for help..." ~SW

"I know that a lot of people probably think that I volunteer for the Legend Tournament because it's affiliated with my workplace, but no one actually knows how much it means to me. I do it because it's important and because it reminds me that I don't have to be ashamed that I have depression!" ~ LF

Our continued mission to bring education, resources and inspiration to the community via the golf tournament was all kicked off  this year by bringing in our special guest,  Mr. Andrew Jensen. He is a professional golfer, mental health advocate and Bell Let's Talk Ambassador. He was embraced by our community as he shared with us some parts of his story that include his own struggles with depression and anxiety.

"There was more than one part of Andrews speech that I found powerful. I loved though how he spoke about how it is his dream that one day people will talk as openly about their mental, emotional  scars as the physical scars on their body...." ~AL

"In addition to the loss of a loved one by suicide, I also have an anxiety disorder. I work hard to manage it with healthy eating, exercise, hobbies, friends, family and medication however; there are days that are hard. So I find it very admirable when someone can stand up and share their story in hopes of normalizing and increasing awareness. I agree with so much of what Andrew said,  in that mental illness shouldn't be treated any differently than a physical illness or injury. Some of my friends have lost a parent to cancer and I lost mine to mental illness...." ~KB

"It's easy to pretend you're tough and can get through anything but this year I had people step up and tell me they could see that I wasn't ok.  I wasn't happy about it at first but now I'm so grateful. They saved me! I spent the year going through numerous doctor appointments, medication changes, and counselling appointments. So listening to Andrew's speech really hit me because it was the first time all year that I put everything into perspective. I know it's ok to ask for help but I never want to burden anyone with my problems. The burden is the biggest obstacle I have to face but by doing this tournament, I know where to go for advice and help. Most importantly, I know that I'm not alone in my everyday battle! To see that a successful golfer & speaker like Andrew can live his life with this problem makes me feel like I can also succeed...."~LF

"With hosting this tournament I feel like we are for sure helping decrease the stigma around mental illness and suicide. I think coming together as a community and listening to each other's stories will hopefully give those who are seeking help the courage to reach out and the avenues to access proper resources and tools..." ~JW

"I think hosting the Legend Tournament brings a variety of people together to advocate for suicide awareness and it gives people the opportunity to hear from someone who is relatable and still struggles with it. Each person leaves the tournament with the message that 'it's ok to not be ok.'" ~ AL

This year the Legend Tournament raised just over $11,000!  Proceeds will benefit CMHA to support Survivors of Suicide Loss Day  (SOS Day) & be utilized for local mental health and suicide prevention initiatives including Grasslands Innovations School Wellness Team.

We are grateful  for the opportunity to honour Dallas' life in this way.  Thank you to our amazing sponsors for their generous support, all those who attend the event and of course the volunteers who join us for the day and bring smiles & support for all! 

~The Full Circle Team

Hoping, Helping & Healing

I am looking forward to volunteering at The Legend Golf Tournament again this July. By the end of the day last year I felt overjoyed at how many people came out to support such an important cause. Volunteering with the Full Circle Foundation for the tournament was an opportunity that came to me at just the right time in my life and I knew it was something I had to do!  The intention behind the tournament is to increase awareness and understanding around mental health and suicide, while raising funds to help support related community programming. The tournament is a chance to reduce stigma,  talk about  some very difficult topics and take the opportunity to say , "It's ok, to not be ok!".  It brings me happiness and a sense of purpose to help raise awareness around these important issues; it allows me to be actively involved, and the message speaks right to my heart. Two years ago I lost my Dad to suicide.

For the longest time I was full of guilt. I would think about things I could have done differently. I wondered if I could have done something, anything that would have allowed my Dad to still be with us today. I've been working hard to learn more about suicide over the past two years so that I can have a better understanding of what happened, but I know that I did everything I could. Volunteering for  the tournament allows me to find some purpose and some peace in the wake of my Dad's death. I feel like I am doing my part to help others; raising awareness about mental health,  encouraging others to ask for help. After losing a loved one to suicide, I know that work like this could potentially save a life.

If you notice out of character behaviours or are worried about a loved one, coworker or friend, don't be afraid to talk to them. Depression and other mental illnesses are just that, an illness. We have to treat it the same as we would a physical illness. It's ok to talk about it.  There are so many people out there struggling and they might be unaware of whom or where to go to for help. If we all work to reduce the stigma around asking for help, we could support so many people. No one deserves to feel alone.

Being involved with the tournament gives me another way to do some healing of my own, while supporting others.  Somehow it helps just to see people come out to support each other!  Its also a chance to hear stories and meet other people who have had their lives impacted by suicide or mental health issues in their own families. The first year after losing my Dad was so, so hard. If you have ever been through the grieving process, for any reason you know that it isn't easy.  I had really great days and really bad days. For the first while I found it very hard to be by myself, I did whatever I could to distract myself throughout the day which helped a lot, but once it came to night time I really struggled.  Time went by and I still wasn't doing any better. I thought nothing would ever feel normal again. A big factor in moving forward and healing came to me by way of a very special event called SOS day.

Every year CMHA hosts an event at the Calgary zoo called Survivors of Suicide Loss Day. November  2016 was my second year attending SOS Day. The first year I attended I was super skeptical about going. It had only been about six months since my Dad's death. My mind was still all over the place. My life was still all over the place!  I honestly had no idea what to expect. I was absolutely blown away with how many people were there. It was heartbreaking but also heartwarming. By the end of the day I had cried about a hundred times and laughed about a hundred times. The whole experience was honest, raw, eye opening and it gave me hope. I felt SO much comfort knowing I wasn't the only one going through a situation like that.  I felt relieved hearing and seeing first hand, that eventually I was going to be doing better!

I think events like SOS day are super important. I didn't know how to even start to cope with my situation. I just happened to come across SOS Day and thankfully I took the opportunity to go. SOS day is place where if you aren't ready to open up about your experience you can just sit and listen to others;  or if you are ready to open up, its a safe place full of people you can lean on without any judgment at all.

I was so excited to learn that this year, some of the proceeds from the tournament will be going to CMHA to support SOS Day. I hope others who have been thinking about going to SOS day will go for it and those who haven't heard about it will look into it, learn more and take the opportunity to go. Thats why events like the golf tournament are so important. They open people's minds and encourage them to learn about mental health. They bring resources and people together and may open the door to new possibilities! Losing a loved one to suicide is a very difficult situation to deal with, but when we have events like the Legend Tournament it brings those of us who have been through it together and puts us alongside people who care and are there to help and support us and I am so thankful for that!

You know that saying “Time heals all wounds." It definitely does not heal everything, but you know what; it does help to heal.  Today I am in a totally different place and mindset from what I was in two years ago. I am coming to terms with my grief.  I still have bad days but I have great days too! Grief will always be there, it won't ever go away but eventually it lessens with time and support.  Support is so important and if we are lucky, it comes to us in many different ways.

~Jayna Whitrow

**Registration for The Legend Tournament is now open. Please email fcf4wellness@gmail.com to request a registration package and register your team.

The Legend; The Legacy

In the wake of losing my brother in law, Dallas, to suicide in February of 2015, I was left with feelings of shock, sadness, confusion, anger, denial, guilt…you name it, I felt it. Most of all I was left with a hole; in my life, in my family, and in my heart. As with any loss, I struggled to find a way to cope with the grief and to support the ones I love. I needed to do something. I needed to find a way to help; to bring a light to the darkness that surrounded me. I couldn’t bring Dallas back, and I couldn’t help him with his struggle; but could I help someone? Anyone? Could I help others mourning this loss? Could I help others that were struggling? Could I keep another family from going through this? Could I help the man that I love with all my heart try to pick up the pieces of his life, after everything he had ever known and trusted in this world, had been shattered into a million pieces? The answer was yes. I could. I had to.

And so, The Legend was born. A memorial golf tournament to honor Dallas (The Legend or the Ledge, as many knew him by) seemed like a perfect fit. He was an avid golfer, was quite possibly the most competitive person I ever met, and loved nothing more than to spend time with friends and family. How could we help others mourning his loss? We could start a tradition, and give family and friends a reason to come together; to reminisce and to show each other support.

As time passed and planning for the tournament got underway, I searched for information to increase my knowledge; to help me to understand. I continued to research addiction, mental illness and suicide; the statistics were alarming! According to the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the Centre for Suicide Prevention & the World Health Organization; One in five Canadians will experience a mental illness or addiction problem in their lifetime. There is a suicide on our planet every 40 seconds, and an attempt every 3 seconds. 90% of people that commit suicide have a mental illness, addiction; or both. We are surrounded by people that are struggling; yet no one is talking about it. We had to do something!

But how? Where do you start? After working in health care as a Registered Nurse for the last 10 years, I felt let down by the very system that was supposed to help. It had failed miserably. Mental health services and supports need to improve; assessment and referral procedures in acute medical systems need an overhaul; our government needs to properly allocate funding to provide more continuity of care, so people aren’t slipping through the cracks. Looking at the daunting task of igniting social and political change, I felt powerless. However, working in health care and the non profit sector has also taught me that to make big changes you have to start somewhere, and most often you will see the biggest change working within your circle of influence. I would say that bringing people together to start a conversation and reduce stigma is as good a place as any.

How do we help others that are struggling? By using the golf tournament as a way to get the word out! That people that we love are struggling, and that it’s ok to talk about it. That you yourself may be struggling, and that it’s ok to ask for help.

Research has shown that one of the most important protective factors against mental illness and addiction is the presence of a support system. Let’s support one another!

How could we keep other families from going through this? By increasing awareness and supporting suicide prevention initiatives. A portion of the proceeds from the tournament will be used to partner with the Safe Communities Committee (City of Brooks & County of Newell) to host a suicide awareness workshop for the community; one of the first steps in building a suicide-safer community.

Funds will also be donated to the amazing organization that provides these and other important workshops throughout the province. The Centre for Suicide Prevention is an education & resource centre dedicated to educating people with the information, knowledge and skills necessary to respond to the risk of suicide. One of their chief responsibilities is providing suicide prevention & intervention workshops developed by Living Works, the World leader in suicide intervention training. Their vision is to have Canadians that are equipped to respond to those at risk of suicide, and we can help.

Research indicates that many mental illnesses actually start in young adulthood, and suicide remains the second leading cause of death for young people in Canada. Further more, the root of addiction frequently starts in childhood, often related to trauma; but as Dr. Gabor Mate writes “that’s not [always] when bad things happen but when good things don’t happen”

How could we help others that are struggling and perhaps prevent suicides as a result of mental illness or addiction? By helping those “good things” to happen. By promoting a positive school environment and providing opportunity for youth to have positive role models, and to build resiliency, coping skills and a support system to count on. Choosing one of our beneficiaries to help us take on this hugely important task seemed like a no brainer! The Grasslands Innovations Project is a mental health capacity building project that operates in schools within the Grasslands Public School Division. It is an integrated, multidisciplinary, team approach providing promotion, prevention and early intervention, and addiction and mental health services to children and their families. The funds will assist Innovations to implement leadership and resiliency programming in one of the junior high schools, and the partnership with our foundation will help them to provide education and promote awareness about mental health and suicide.

How do we help? With your help! The support for the golf tournament in and of itself is so important to us. It honors a man that we all love and miss so dearly. It also serves as the catalyst for a community wide project aimed at raising awareness and reducing stigma through education, health promotion, social change, and government lobbying. With your help we can begin to build a legacy of compassion, support and understanding!

As the project has evolved over the past year, it has provided an opportunity to put our energy towards something positive. Many people have offered to help, sent generous donations and shown their support for what we are trying to do. Brick by brick we begin to build this legacy in honor of Dallas; and without even realizing it, I think that hole in my heart may be a little smaller. It has started to fill with little pieces of love, kindness, support, understanding, and compassion from those around me. Thank you for helping to pick up the pieces.
~ Ashley


For tournament info please visit our Facebook Page at : FullCircle FDN for Wellness

To Register please email fcf4wellness@gmail.com and request a package.