HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2017-06-14, Page 11During the second annual Brent Powell Memorial Concert, on the left, part of the Huron Song Ensemble, Carolyn Powell sings
May 28 at the First Presbyterian Church in Seaforth. Her son died last year from issues revolving around mental health.
SeaforLh mother impressed with event directed
towards mental health in her son's memory
Shaun Gregory
Huron Expositor
Aimed at people battling mental
illness in the region, for the second
year in a row, the First Presbyterian
Church in Seaforth held a musical
concert.
Through melody, a couple weeks
back, titled the Brent Powell
Memorial Concert for Mental
Health, the event shed light on the
sensitive subject of suicide and
many other problems people from
all walks of life are forced to deal
with daily.
Powell took his life in March of
2016, his mother, Carolyn Powell,
who
is a member of the FPC in Sea -
forth said it's nice to see the sup-
port and large turnout May
28-excalty a year to date of the
tragedy.
However the stigma revolving
around mental health has a few
strides to go before significant
changes put a positive dent in the
illness, but it's moving in the
appropriate direction, she said.
Before this is possible, "there is
still a lot more understanding,"
required as well she said by phone
June 11.
Carolyn said rather than the
larger populations, small-town
communities are modelled as an
easier way to create a support sys-
tem to deal with these tragic prob-
lems, perhaps because a lot of the
community know each other,
which makes it easier for the town
to unite.
"I think it's a great way to show
support for everyone, it is nice to
see it grow, " stated Carolyn. "Next
year they are talking about bringing
different entertainers as well, it's
nice to see that interest."
"We just had another young man
in the community pass away here a
week or so ago, it's sad to see, there
is a lot of it, they need the support
and so do the families."
Carolyn sang that night with her
group -the Huron Song Ensemble,
along with numerous other acts
including FPC Reverend Dwight
Nelson and his wife.
Most of the acts were given
cheques for their service of provid-
ing all the participants with a live
Reverend of the First Presbyterian Church in Seaforth, Dwight Nelson strums
away on the guitar for a good cause, the event raised roughly $1,600, which
will be donated to the Huron -Perth Centre for Children and Youth.
concert, however every single per-
son returned the cheque and
donated it while the offering plate
passed around.
Every penny of the roughly
$1,600 donated went to the Huron -
Perth Centre for Children and
Youth, which is accredited as a des-
tination where community-based
children with mental health are
welcome.
ea orthhuronex . ositor.co
Wednesday, June 14, 2017 • Huron Expositor 11
All family members at Barber Bob's birthday bash received a T-shirt for the
celebration with the words "I survived Bob's BS" (bus shenanigans).
A bus ride down memory lane
Barber Bob rented a bus for
the day, gathering family and
friends to celebrate his 80th
birthday.
The day started by going back
in his prime on the country
roads in the Aylmer area, which
is Mennonites or tobacco now
he said. Touching on his life
story, after the tour there was
cake and social time for 96 peo-
ple at the Aylmer Legion.
Recently the group of family
boarded the bus at dinnertime
arriving back in Seaforth a cou-
ple hours later.
The day ended with many spe-
cial memories.
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