Kinettes set up fund for PTSD
February 6, 2019, 3:27 am
Kara Kinna
Kaila McDonald, the president of the Moosomin Kinettes Club, spoke to Moosomin Chamber of Commerce members at their meeting Wednesday about a new mental health fund the Kinettes have started to help emergency services workers suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
“We hope that today we can start getting the word out about this exciting new venture that the Kinettes are taking on,” she said.
“Last year after the Humboldt Broncos crash, our club had many long discussions about whether or not we should do something to help. While our hearts went out to the families and loved ones that had lost people due to the crash, it is required that the Kinette and Kinsmen funds stay local, so we decided to do something for Moosomin in their honor.
“Specifically, we decided that if, God forbid, anything like that were to happen here, we wanted to be there to support our emergency service workers.
“While the exact process is still in the early working stages, we wanted to begin by letting people know this fund was available.
“Mental health is at a turning point in our society right now. People are constantly working day to day to break the stigma around things like depression and PTSD, like for example Bell Let’s Talk Day.
“People who have experienced tragedy first hand, like our EMTs, volunteer firefighters and RCMP, may not feel the effects of PTSD for weeks, months or even years after an incident, and any one incident may not be the cause. It could be an accumulation of grief over a period of time.
“We want to be there for them whenever they begin to struggle with their mental health due to their jobs. Because these men and women are out there literally every day saving lives.
“Unfortunately Worker’s Comp does not view mental health as an illness, and at this time missed work and appointments cannot be claimed through WCB. On top of that, there are no resources for spouses dealing with the challenges that come with a partner who have PTSD or depression.”
McDonald said the names of anyone seeking help from the Kinettes’ mental health fund will remain confidential.
“We will keep the process as confidential as possible, with only two people on the committee and only coming to the club to ask for a vote on whether the funds can be released. No names will ever be mentioned,” she said.
“At this time the club has agreed to keep enough in an account to provide one person with funding for 10 sessions with a councillor, specifically for PTSD, which costs about $160 for one session.
“If at any point there is a need to have more money in the account, the club has agreed to fundraise accordingly.
“I really hope we have community support going forward.”
McDonald said a small amount of money will be earmarked from the Kinettes’ spring kegger in April to go into the fund, but the rest will be raised through community donations.
“We will earmark a small amount of money from the Kegger in April, but most of our money right now is going towards our Liberty swing,” she said.
Jail and Bail is back
McDonald also told Chamber members that the Kinettes have decided to resurrect the jail and bail fundraiser. The jail and bail will be on March 1.
“Just a heads up, some people might be getting arrested,” she said.
“We will start that around 3 pm. I think we are hoping to have everyone arrested by 5 pm and then go from there with the evening. And it will be at the Legion if anyone wants to stop in and have a drink as well.”
