'Past 16 months have been pretty rough': Suicide prevention fundraiser planned at Calgary restaurant
After losing more than a dozen friends and colleagues to suicide during the pandemic, Calgary chef Dustin Schafer decided enough was enough.
In the hope of both raising awareness and generating financial support for suicide prevention, Schafer is spearheading a fundraising dinner Sunday evening at Modern Steak on Eighth Avenue S.W.
In total, Schafer has lost 14 industry friends to suicide.
“The past 16 months have been pretty rough,” said Schafer to a large gathering of the media on Modern Steak’s second floor.
“There was really no warning sign with most of these people; happy, jovial, joking around and they seemed genuinely happy. You wake up the next day to that phone call stating that person isn’t here any more, it’s really tough."
The fundraising dinner will serve four courses, crafted by Schafer. All proceeds will be donated to the Centre for Suicide Prevention.
The owner of Modern Steak, Stephen Deere says the devastating effects of the pandemic were particularly felt in the restaurant and services industry.
"People in the restaurant industry, with the openings and closures due to lockdowns, have had it extra tough,” said Deere.
"Especially in our kitchens, we are their family, we are their structure. When people don’t have their structure; their friends and family beside them, they can spiral. Sadly we’ve seen that in our industry this year.
"When you lose that structure, you don’t have to get out of bed, you lose that level of responsibility; you have no one to reach out to and talk with, all of a sudden it becomes very dark and there’s nothing to look forward to. It’s important for us to give back and do what we can to prevent any further suicides from happening."
Mara Grunau, the executive director at the Centre for Suicide Prevention, says a sudden lack of structure can have a profound impact on the mental well-being of anyone facing such a challenge.
"From a social standpoint, hope, belonging, purpose and meaning are very important aspects to us as individuals,” said Grunau.
"A of us really wrestled with our sense of belonging in lockdown. When we don’t have a sense of belonging, what happens to our sense of hope? We really need to find ways to bolster it."
While Deere is hoping to raise up to $10,000 dollars from the dinner, he thinks raising awareness about mental health and suicide prevention will have the greatest impact.
“We need to let people know it’s OK to ask for help, there are resources available, it’s OK to not be OK."
The fundraising dinner is slated to take place at Modern Steak Stephen Avenue on Sunday, June 27 beginning at 5:30 p.m.
The Centre for Suicide Prevention can be reached at 1-833-456-4566, by texting 45645 or visiting www.suicideinfo.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
opinion I've been a criminal attorney for decades. Here's what I think about the case against Trump
Joey Jackson, a criminal defence attorney and a legal analyst for CNN, outlines what he thinks about the criminal case against Donald Trump in the 'hush money trial.'
$3.8M home in B.C.'s Okanagan has steel shell for extra wildfire protection
A home in B.C.'s Okanagan that features a weathering steel shell designed to provide some protection against wildfires has been listed for sale at $3.8 million.
Diver pinned under water by an alligator figured he had choice. Lose his arm or lose his life
An alligator attacked a diver on April 15 as he surfaced from his dive, nearly out of air. His tank emptied with the gator's jaws crushing the arm he put up in defence.
Psychologist becomes first person in Peru to die by euthanasia after fighting in court for years
A Peruvian psychologist who suffered from an incurable disease that weakened her muscles and had her confined to her bed for several years, died by euthanasia, her lawyer said Monday, becoming the first person in the country to obtain the right to die with medical assistance.
Mystery surrounds giant custom Canucks jerseys worn by Lions Gate Bridge statues
The giant stone statues guarding the Lions Gate Bridge have been dressed in custom Vancouver Canucks jerseys as the NHL playoffs get underway.
Celebrity designer sentenced to 18 months in prison for smuggling crocodile handbags
A leading fashion designer whose accessories were used by celebrities from Britney Spears to the cast of the 'Sex and the City' TV series was sentenced Monday to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty in Miami federal court on charges of smuggling crocodile handbags from her native Colombia.
Wildfire leads to evacuation order issued for northeast Alberta community
An evacuation order was issued on Monday afternoon for homes in the area of Cold Lake First Nation.