News Advisory/Backgrounder July 16, 2009First Annual Valley Comedy Festival, Friday August 21 - 8pm at the Clarke Foundation Theatre in Mission
Presented by Country 107.1 and Star FM in Partnership with Stand Up For Mental Health
Featuring Famed Comedian Mike MacDonald (Just for Laughs, Comedy Central, Letterman, Showtime etc.) and the Fabulous David Granirer (SMH Creator, Counsellor and Author of the Happy Neurotic) and BC Comics of SMHThe Show Emceed By the Stars of Country 107.1 and STAR FM
Sign Language Interpreters Extraordinaire Ava Hawkins and Heather Perry will be On-Stage for the Performance thanks to the Western Institute for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
Most people think you have to be nuts to go anywhere near stand-up comedy. We Are Nuts!
Stand Up For Mental Health (SMH) is an innovative and successful program that uses stand-up comedy to talk about mental illness. Laughter is our lethal and cost-effective weapon of choice in breaking down the prejudice, stigma and discrimination that surrounds mental illness.
SMH Founder David Granirer helps members of the community who have a mental illness create and perform their own original material about their mental health journeys. As student’s self-confidence and self-esteem grow, they start to perform for a variety of audiences throughout their communities.
What starts as rehabilitation and recovery for our comics, enables them to then go out and entertain, educate and de-stigmatize their audiences. The results have been life-changing for many on both sides of the footlights. Stand Up For Mental Health is on the cutting edge of comedy and mental health, and the word is spreading.
SMH has programs in Vancouver, Abbotsford and Chilliwack. We also have programs in Campbell River and Courtney and will be starting in Victoria in the fall of 2009. All of our traditional funding partners, Fraser Health, Vancouver Coastal Health, VIHA, mental healthcare agencies and others, have had their budgets slashed in the current economic downturn.
Stand Up For Mental Health is determined to keep all of our programs across BC going by performing, performing, and performing. The First Annual Valley Comedy Festival will help us raise the money to keep SHM programs in Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Vancouver going, and to raise money for The Fraser Valley Health Care Foundation and Fraser Valley Rotary Projects.
SMH firmly believes in sharing, particularly in these challenging economic times. We actually see these challenges as opportunities to help each other. Our message is one of Hope and Empowerment.
We plan to make this an Annual Must-Go-To Event that folks in the Valley and Vancouver look forward to each year. Our Partners, Country 107.1 and Star FM are respected, strong and vibrant members of community life in the Valley. Their support of many worthy organizations shines through in everything that they do.
Spreading the Word and Sharing the Laughter has never been more timely or important...and SMH seems to be catching on. CTV, SHAW TV and Black Press, who also share our commitment to our communities, are already on board. Vancity, our credit union and RBC Dominion Securities are also supporting us. The Jim Pattison Group/Pattison Outdoor is supporting us, as is The Best Western Regency.
The City of Mission has agreed to be the Host Community for the Festival, and to officially declare it Stand Up For Mental Health Day in Mission during the Festival. We have asked Mayor Atebe to officially open the Festival. The Cities of Abbotsford and Chilliwack have also agreed to be Festival Sponsors. The Mission, Abbotsford and Chilliwack Rotary Clubs are the official Host Community Clubs for the Festival.
SMH continues to work with the Creative Centre Society in Abbotsford and Chilliwack, and Executive Director Jennifer Ridgeway and her team. Our students for the Abbotsford and Chilliwack Programs come from both of those communities, plus Mission and surrounding areas. There is currently a long waiting list to get into both programs.
SMH is also proud to be bringing SMH Day to the Campuses of UBC, SFU and UFV (Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Mission) in October. We will perform for students, faculty and staff. Many Campuses are inviting local high school students as Guests. We hope to start a lively and important discussion about mental illness on Campus. SMH Days will be co-sponsored by the Mental Health Commission of Canada.
We are also in discussions with VCH about developing a program for Veterans, those still serving, the RCMP, and all of their families at the new OSI (Operational Stress Injury) Clinic at UBC Hospital.
SMH is becoming part of the 2010 2nd year medical school curriculum at UBC, UVIC and UNBC. We will help doctors-to-be and those who train them gain a greater understanding of and empathy for people with mental illness. We are also developing a project for UVF Social Work and Human Services students at the Abbotsford Campus.
SMH is truly Changing Hearts and Minds One Laugh at a Time. We Invite the Valley (including Vancouver) to join us in Spreading the Laughter.
For More Information, to arrange interviews or to volunteer or become
a sponsor of the First Annual Valley Comedy Festival,
please contact:
Pat Bayes, Administrative, PR and Program Coordinator,
Stand Up For Mental Health (The Trojan Horse)
Tel.604.707.0483 Email pat@standupformentalhealth.com
Visit www.standupformentalhealth.com and www.islandcomedyfest.com