It all started last year when people were sending me an article about an amazing woman in Saskatoon who seemed to be a kindred spirit of mine. She dunked into 51 Lakes for her 51st birthday year. Her name is Lara Guerrero and we have since become long-distance pals, connected by the love and appreciation of immersing yourself in water - and the thrill of being in nature. 

 

I am so incredibly grateful that I can find peace and mental wellness in nature. Jumping in a lake or hugging a tree fills me right up. So many people do not have something to hold on to, a lifeline that pulls them out of the darkness. I have known and lost people like this.

I am hoping people will enjoy my nutty journey, while also thinking about what pulls them out of their dark places. Hopefully you will be enjoying what makes you feel full as well this summer!

I also want to think about those people who do not have anything that helps. Not nature, not the love of family... nothing... can pull them up.

For this reason, I am hoping you will consider donating to a great resource for those who cannot find lifeboats to get into - and are drowning. 

 

I will be thinking of these people in the dark, while I am finding my light source - in the lakes of Ontario and beyond!

 

Thanks all - and on a not so serious note, I hope I won't be calling out for bail money when I get picked up for trespassing - some of these lakes don't seem to have any public access! Hahaha!

You may follow the journey on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/floatandfrolic/

 

xo Maria

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This fundraiser supports CAMH, Canada's leading mental health hospital. I have also raised $850 via Facebook Donations and now have this page set up for direct donations to add to the tally!

 

Did you know that 1 in 5 Canadians experience mental illness in any given year? And that 4,000 Canadians die by suicide every year—almost 11 people per day?

 

And yet, many don't realize that, in its most severe forms, mental illness can be fatal.

 

With your support, we can change how the world sees and treats mental illness. We can break down stigma and lead important conversations about suicide prevention. We can give people time to get the help they need; families time to heal; and researchers and clinicians time to make breakthroughs and offer new treatment options.