MOOSE JAW — The glow of candlelight and the steady fall of gentle rain set the tone for a solemn evening in Crescent Park, as Journey to Hope Moose Jaw hosted its final World Suicide Prevention Day walk and “Pass the Torch” ceremony recently.
Around 50 people gathered at the Crescent Park amphitheatre, many carrying photos of loved ones lost to suicide. Together, they walked in remembrance, pausing at signs placed along the pathway before reaching the butterfly mosaic mural created by Josh Burris and the group’s “Journey 2 Hope Youth Chapter” — a symbol of hope, healing, and continuation.
For chairperson Della Ferguson, the moment carried both weight and meaning.
“It was beautiful. It seemed kind of poignant that, at the point where I was talking about the memorial, gentle rain started coming down,” Ferguson reflected. “This organization was built on the tears of loss that families experienced, and so everyone just soldiered through even when that rain just kept gently falling.”
Journey to Hope Moose Jaw will officially dissolve on Nov. 1, concluding nearly 18 years of community work in suicide prevention, awareness, and education. Founded in 2008 by Ferguson, Isabel Hanson, and Melissa Hayter, the group began after two members of the Survivors of Suicide Loss Support Group expressed a desire to host an awareness walk similar to one they had seen in the United States.
From those beginnings, the organization grew into a key presence in Moose Jaw’s mental health landscape. It sponsored training programs such as safeTALK, ASIST and Mental Health First Aid, supported Pride Week and transgender remembrance events, created the Voices of Hope video series, and launched the HOPE Summit speaker series.
It also purchased resources for schools, health centres, and front-line workers, while maintaining partnerships with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) and other agencies.
“We have seen a profound difference from 2008 when we first started until now, and we have a long way to go — but we’ve come a long way,” Ferguson said. “I’m so grateful to our community for that.”
The walk also marked the symbolic transfer of responsibility for key initiatives. Representatives from several community agencies accepted “torches” to continue the work, including Prairie South and Holy Trinity Catholic school divisions, Homebase Moose Jaw, CMHA Moose Jaw, Mental Health and Addictions Services, Victim Services, Moose Jaw Family Services Inc., and the Community Wellness Collaborative.
Ferguson asked those receiving torches to “imprint the image of us standing in that circle of these families who so desired that the work continue, and to imprint them on their hearts and in their work.”
“As we close today’s walk, we do not put out the flame — we pass it on. May this flame shine through each of you … through every act of kindness, connection, and support that lies ahead,” she said in her closing remarks.
While the non-profit organization is closing, its mission will carry forward through the newly established Journey to Hope Legacy Fund, managed by CMHA Moose Jaw. The fund will support suicide prevention training and awareness programs in the community, ensuring continuity of the group’s efforts.
“The message is always gratitude,” Ferguson said. “We’re grateful to the families that have honoured the memory of their loved ones by supporting our work. We’re grateful to the partnerships in our community for working together, and we’re grateful to the community for stepping into this conversation on all levels, breaking the silence and the stigma.”
Journey to Hope’s final public event will be a MENtal Health and Wellness supper on Thursday, Sept. 25, at the Temple Gardens Centre at 110 First Avenue Northwest.
To donate to the Journey to Hope Legacy Fund, contact CMHA Moose Jaw at 306-692-4240 or by email at MJBranch@CMHAsk.com.
Aaron Walker,
Moose jaw Express
