Beginning in 2014 Janice Beattie, Carol Coote, Susan Hertz, Debra Montanini, Amanda Bruce, Comena Hudy & Schelina Jule have hosted an increasingly popular Punchline Comedy Night in Regina, SK to raise funds for mental health.  In its inaugural year, 300 people attended, eight years later, the Comedy Night has grown to over 860 and raised over $458,000 in support of mental health initiatives in our community. 

 

Due to the global pandemic, we have not been able to share a few laughs together since 2019.  Despite this challenge, with the generous support of our sponsors and donors in the last two years we have still managed to raise over $130,000 for mental health in our community, totalling over $458,000 in the last 8 years.

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Comedians such as Big Daddy Tazz, Tim Nutt, Graham Chittenden, Kelly Taylor, Myles Morrison, Corey Mack, Erica Sigurdson, Dean Jenkinson, Lars Callieou, Sean Lecomber, Mayce Galoni, Rob Pue, Dave Hemstad & Rob Bebenek have all helped us laugh our way to better mental health.

 

In the first three years the proceeds were donated to the Phoenix Residential Society to support their community based programs, to purchase a new Ford Transit 15 passenger van and over $51,000 of furniture and supplies to house complex needs individuals who are homeless and in need of intensive supports.

 

For the last five years PLCN proceeds have gone to the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) Regina Branch whom offer pre-vocation and vocational programming for over 1300 members. Funds were used to renovate their kitchen and to support their holiday food services program where they prepare and serve 11,500 meals every year. Nine Buddy Benches (elementary) and three Awareness Benches (secondary) were installed in various schools throughout Regina. Funds also supported CMHA Regina Branch's community engagement programming, including implementation of training and certificate programs such as "safeTalk" (suicide alertness training) and for staff certification for facilitation of the "ASK" program (suicide alertness in the under 14 age group).  Social programming items included a new pool table, 12 drums, new club chairs, a tv, board games and Wii Fit.

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This year we are excited to expand our support of mental health initiatives from Regina to the entire province of Saskatchewan!   We are partnering with the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation’s Game Changers One Million Dollar Campaign mental wellness project, as they continue to grow their support for Saskatchewan’s youth. Beginning in 2022, this project will ensure the youth of our province are equipped with the support they need to become the best versions of themselves.

 

The campaign is a direct response to the growing problem of the declining mental wellness in kids and teenagers in Saskatchewan. As more studies begin to show the strain the pandemic has inflicted on our youth, it is more important now than ever, to ensure all our province’s youth have access to the help they need if they’re struggling.

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In 2016 the Four Women for Mental Health were awarded a Women of Distinction Award in the Circle of Friends category for their fundraising efforts for Mental Health.

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Thank you for supporting “Punchline Comedy Night” and helping us build a mentally healthier community and province.

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