Sudbury group paints rocks to spread inspiration
Northern Initiative for Social Action (NISA) is a non-profit organization run by and for people who have experienced mental health challenges and illness.
On Tuesday, it held a painting activity with the goal of spreading inspiration and hope in the community.
Brix Piper led the wellness rocks session, where people used paintbrushes to express feelings of inspiration.
"Partially it's a form of self expression so they are able to express themselves on the rocks and show their own type of artistic abilities," said Piper, a community arts worker at NISA.
"However it's also great for connection. Lots of the members are painting together at the tables."
NISA hosted the event, which offered a number of peer-based mental health programs and supports.
"We have so many different programs," said Shanleigh Brosseau, communications and strategy co-ordination at NISA.
"We have arts and crafts. We have … groups that are focused on looking at how to manage and cope with depression and anxiety."
Participants will scatter the painted rocks with inspirational sayings throughout the city for people to find.
"We all need someone to care for us and love us and I think it's really important to have hope and stuff like that in all our recoveries," said Hugh Jeanveau, a peer support worker at NISA.
Christine Valent said she hoped her rock conveyed a special message.
"Compassion I am hoping. Compassion, feeling for others, feeling compassion even for yourself. Compassion for others and showing a display of love," said Valent.
Participants said people who find the rocks are welcome to pick them up and keep them for inspiration or leave them where they are for others to enjoy.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction overturned by N.Y. appeals court
New York's highest court on Thursday overturned Harvey Weinstein's 2020 rape conviction, reversing a landmark ruling of the #MeToo era in determining the trial judge improperly allowed women to testify about allegations against the ex-movie mogul that weren't part of the case.
BREAKING Honda to get up to $5B in govt help for EV battery, assembly plants
Honda is set to build an electric vehicle battery plant next to its Alliston, Ont., assembly plant, which it is retooling to produce fully electric vehicles, all part of a $15-billion project that is expected to include up to $5 billion in public money.
MPP Sarah Jama asked to leave Ontario legislature for wearing keffiyeh
MPP Sarah Jama was asked to leave the Legislative Assembly of Ontario by House Speaker Ted Arnott on Thursday for wearing a keffiyeh, a garment that is banned at Queen’s Park.
CTE: Researchers believe widespread brain injury may contribute to veteran suicide rate
Researchers are working to better understand if some Canadian military veterans may be suffering from Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy, also known as CTE -- a disorder previously found in the brains of professional football and hockey players after their death.
1 arrested in northern Alberta during public shelter order
Residents of John D'Or Prairie, a community on the Little Red River Cree Nation in northern Alberta, were told to take shelter Thursday morning during a police operation.
Secret $70M Lotto Max winners break their silence
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Remains from a mother-daughter cold case were found nearly 24 years later, after a deathbed confession from the suspect
A West Virginia father is getting some sense of closure after authorities found the remains of his young daughter and her mother following a deathbed confession from the man believed to have fatally shot them nearly two decades ago.
New deep-water channel allows first ship to pass Key bridge wreckage in Baltimore
The first cargo ship passed through a newly opened deep-water channel in Baltimore on Thursday after being stuck in the harbor since the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed four weeks ago, halting most maritime traffic through the city's port.
First in Canada procedure performed at London, Ont. hospital
A London man has become the first person in Canada to receive a robotic assisted surgery on his spine. Dave Myeh suffered from debilitating, chronic back pain that led to sciatica in his right now and extreme pain in his lower back.