By Medicine Hat News on January 16, 2021.
The Alberta Colleges Athletics Conference may not be in action, but that won’t stop schools from across the province from coming together in support of mental health awareness this month. Make Some Noise for Mental Health – an initiative that typically tasks teams and their fanbases with putting together a raucous crowd while raising awareness for the importance of mental health – will begin its two-week virtual campaign at the start of the week with what it is calling Blue Monday. “Given the psychological and social challenges confronting post-secondary students during the current restrictions created by social isolation and online learning, and further compounded for student athletes by the suspension of athletics activities, 2021 may prove to be the most essential edition of this annual campaign,” reads an ACAC release. The Medicine Hat College Rattlers will be in the spotlight to help close out the campaign – which runs in partnership with RBC and the Canadian Mental Health Association – on Jan. 29 by leading a free virtual yoga fitness class via Zoom at 1 p.m. Other events include a mindful meditation seminar led by Lakeland College on Tuesday, a “Sweat out the S.A.D.” Zoom fitness class conducted by Keyano College on Friday and Instagram takeovers by RBC Olympian Jackson Payne and Paralympic hopeful Amanda Rummery. For more information on Make Some Noise for Mental Health, visit acac.ab.ca/make-some-noise/make-some-noise-2021-events 7