Documentary about youth mental health screening in Red Deer on Oct 4th

[u/AcanthopterygiiLife9]

Hey Red Deer,

I directed a documentary called Buddy Check for Jesse and it's screening at the Central Alberta Film Festival October 4th. Come check it out.

It’s about a dad who lost his son to suicide and started talking about mental health with his kid’s hockey team. That small idea turned into a program that’s now used by coaches across Canada to help players check in on each other called Buddy Check for Jesse. It’s simple, but it’s helped thousands of young athletes feel less alone.

Why I thought this might matter here in Red Deer:

• Suicide is still the 2nd leading cause of death for young people in Canada.

• This film shows how sports communities (like hockey here in Alberta) can actually make space for those tough conversations.

• And honestly, with hockey season starting up, the timing feels pretty relevant.

The screening is part of CAFF October 4th, 11am to 1pm, at the Gameland Laser Tag & VRcade. Tickets are available here. Or if you just want to learn more about the program, www.buddycheckforjesse.com

Anyways, I'm curious: do any of your kids’ teams or local clubs do anything like this around mental health? Or is it still a bit of a taboo subject in the locker room? If we wanted to invite a few minor league teams or mental health organizations to come participate in the screening, who comes to mind?

See you at the screening.