Building sand sculptures to support mental health awareness

Extended: Sand sculpting on Grand Beach shores CTV photojournalist, John Schneider, hit Grand Beach for a sand castle competition held to raise funds for mental health awareness.

It’s a fun-filled way to raise money for a serious cause.

The annual Grand Beach Sand Castle Competition: Vive La Paul teamed up with the Macdonald Youth Services in support of mental health awareness education, Saturday.

Patrick Petrucka, the event organizer, dedicated the competition in memory of his friend Paul LaFrance, who took his life in 2015.

He said it’s the second year that proceeds from the event will go to Macdonald Youth Services on behalf of LaFrance’s memory.

Petrucka said last year funds went directly to a resource program to educate staff about mental health issues specifically related to depression.

“With money raised through this competition, we provided eighteen staff members with additional training around mental health awareness. This would not have been possible without this partnership,” said Jennifer Giesbrecht, community support manager at Macdonald Youth Services.

The competition has professional category as well as a family/friend category with over $2,000 in prize money that will be awarded.

“I think that we’ve had more competitors than we’ve had in the past,” said Petrucka.

It runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, with judging to take place after.