A Place for Dynan

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A group from St. Albert hopes to raise funds for mental health support and a memorial bench in honour of their friend Dynan

by michelle landry

IN December 2014, our friend Dynan Greaney lost his battle with mental illness.

A mural at the St. Albert Skatepark done by artist Justin Moose in honour of Dynan.
These are his friends (from left to right) Michelle Landry, Drew Buhr, Warren Ollis,
Megan Hobbins, Erin Sharkey, and Lyndon Golanowski.

He was always smiling and making people laugh. He had a huge heart and gave the best hugs. Dynan was one of our best friends growing up. He is the reason we have so many good memories to look back on and laugh at. He was a special person and touched everyone’s lives.

Dynan did not talk to many people about his struggles. I wish he felt he could have. We as a group want to start today to break the stigma of this unspoken topic. It’s a tough world out there, and we need to feel we can lean on one another.

There is not a lot of help in the mental health system for people, but if we start standing up together we can work towards changing this. If you are feeling depressed and having suicidal thoughts, the first thing we want you to know is that you are not crazy. You are not a burden to the people that love you, and you are never alone. YOUR LIFE MATTERS! 

Dynan Greaney, 1985-2014. RIP

The more we talk about this subject the less uncomfortable it will be. The fact is, there are many people out there suffering from depression, anxiety and addiction. And the system is not offering the help they need.

We are hosting a fundraiser called ‘A Place for Dynan’ to raise money for the St. Albert Community Foundation's mental health fund, and to dedicate a memorial bench in memory of our friend Dynan. We also hope to raise awareness for mental health in doing so.


This is a logo designed in Dynan's honour. 'Dochas' is Gaelic for 'bring hope to the
future.' The green represents Dynan's Irish heritage, the handwriting was his graffiti
tag, and the crown represents his surname, which means 'king.'

This event will take place at the Celtic Knot in St. Albert on Friday, November 13th at 7PM. So many of us have been affected by mental health in some way. Come join us for a fun evening with lots of prizes to win. Together, let’s bring hope to the future and work towards change. #letstalk
 
Location: St Albert, AB, Canada

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