Over $189,000 was raised at Coast Capital Savings' 11th Annual Charity Golf Tournament on June 26 in support of depression research and better treatments through VGH and UBC Hospital Foundation.
Since its inception in 2002, the Coast Capital Savings Charity Golf Tournament has raised nearly $1.4 million, with money raised going toward research, treatment and awareness of mental illness. Coast Capital Savings proudly supports research and programs designed to eliminate the stigma around mental illness and promote better mental health.
Wayne Berg, chief commercial officer for Coast Capital Savings and Honorary Golf Committee Chair, explained the vital role businesses can play in order to help employees and their families facing challenges with mental health and depression.
“One in five Canadians will personally experience a mental illness in their lifetime. Mental illness affects us all, whether it’s ourselves, or through a family member or co-worker,” said Berg. “We’ve created a culture at Coast Capital where we encourage employees to be open about mental health and seek available help. By providing tools and resources to managers, employees and their families, we can remove the stigma around mental illness.”
According to the Canadian Mental Health Association, mental illness is estimated to cost the Canadian economy $51 billion dollars annually. One of the goals of the Coast Capital Savings Charity Golf Tournament is to raise awareness about the impact untreated mental illness can have on businesses – both for employees and the bottom line.
“Thanks to the generous support of our sponsors, golfers, and donors, Coast Capital Savings has been able to support much needed research into better treatments and options for people living with depression,” said Wendy Lachance, director of community leadership for Coast Capital Savings. “We’re dedicated to building a richer future for youth, and depression is a significant health issue that can start at an early age and affect a person for a lifetime. By supporting research, awareness and treatment of depression, we can help reduce the stigma around mental health issues and enable people to get the help they need.”
The golf fundraiser took place at the Northview Golf and Country Club in Surrey and Jody Vance of CITY TV’s Breakfast Television was the master of ceremonies.
This year's presenting sponsors included CRI, Desjardins Group, Fasken Martineau, SEI Investments and Worldsource Financial.
Coast Capital Savings Credit Union is Canada's second largest credit union with total assets under administration of $13.5 billion, 475,000 members and 50 branches in the Metro Vancouver, Fraser Valley, and Vancouver Island regions of British Columbia. To learn more, visit www.coastcapitalsavings.com.