Join the #MYLEGACY Campaign: Support First Responders, Military Personnel, and Their Families
The #MYLEGACY Campaign gives you the chance to partner with Legacy Place Society in supporting First Responders, Military Personnel, and their families. By joining this campaign, you help raise awareness, reduce stigma, and build resilience for those facing the unique challenges of their roles. Research shows that coping skills and mental health support can significantly help individuals in these high-stress careers.
Legacy Place Society supports both first responders and their families. Our services include a confidential crisis line, home-away-from-home accommodations, and family-inclusive education partnerships to help families navigate these challenges.
Ways to Support Legacy Place Society:
- E-Transfer via Banking: Send donations to info@legacyplacesociety.com.
- Mail a Cheque: Send it to 25207 Bearspaw Place, Calgary, AB T3R 1H5.
- Monthly Support: Set up an Automatic Electronic Funds Transfer for ongoing donations.
- United Way: Contact United Way or your workplace payroll to designate Legacy Place Society for contributions.
- Mobile Giving: Text 20222 with the keyword FRHEALTH to donate $10.
- CanadaHelps: Donate at CanadaHelps Legacy Place Society.
- 3rd Party Fundraisers: Host events like bake sales, BBQs, runs, walks, rides, or raffles.
- GoFundMe: Choose Legacy Place Society as your fundraising cause.
- Facebook Charitable Giving: Set up a charitable giving tab for birthdays or special events.
Your support through the #MYLEGACY Campaign helps strengthen our community and improve the lives of those who serve and protect us. Together, we can make a lasting impact. Thank you for your support!
Registration Open: Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement Workshop
The Calgary Police Service is proud to host Dr. Kevin Gilmartin, author of Emotional Survival for Law Enforcement: A Guide for Officers and Their Families, for a full-day workshop focused on helping first responders develop positive, long-term behavior patterns to maintain emotional and physical well-being.
This workshop is open to first responders, military personnel, and their spouses.
Event Details:
- Date: Thursday, November 7, 2019
- Location: Centre Street Church, 3900 – 2nd Street NE, Calgary
- Time: 7:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Food: Morning refreshments and lunch provided. Additional items available for purchase at the onsite cafeteria.
- Cost: $30
Registration:
Register by Friday, October 18, 2019 at:
https://emotional-survival-workshop-with-kevin-gilmartin.ev…
Course Description:
In this engaging workshop, Dr. Kevin Gilmartin will present strategies to promote emotional resilience, self-awareness, and coping skills. Attendees will learn practical techniques to manage stress, improve relationships, and build sustainable behaviors that support long-term mental health for first responders and their families.
Course Outline:
- Introduction to Emotional Survival
- Understanding the Stress Response in First Responders
- Managing Emotional Health in High-Stress Environments
- Building Positive, Long-Term Behavior Patterns
- Strategies for Supporting Families of First Responders
Don’t miss this opportunity to gain valuable tools for mental wellness and emotional survival. Register today!
Join Chief Jennifer Tejada from Emeryville, California, at the First Responder Suicide Awareness Conference on September 19, 2019.
She has five years of dedication to integrating mindfulness and resiliency training into first responder curriculum. Chief Tejada will share her journey of how mindfulness-based practices have positively impacted her career and her approach to well-being.
This session will emphasize the importance of prioritizing mental health for first responders, offering valuable insights on leadership, stress management, and maintaining peak performance.
Don’t miss this chance to learn about the well-being and resilience of first responders and their teams. It’s time to take care of the human behind the badge – YOU!
First Responder & Military Personnel Mental Wellness & Suicide Awareness Conferences
Legacy Place Society Announces Fourth Annual Mental Wellness & Suicide Awareness Conferences
Providing a Safe Space for First Responders & Military Personnel
Legacy Place Society will host the fourth annual Mental Wellness & Suicide Awareness Conferences for first responders, military personnel, and their families across Alberta. This year, the conferences will take place on September 19 in Calgary and September 26 in Edmonton. The event is designed to raise awareness, reduce stigma, and provide vital support to those impacted by Operational Stress Injuries (OSIs), including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Supporting Mental Wellness for First Responders & Military Members
Endorsed by the Mental Health Commission of Canada, the conference aims to foster resiliency and wellness within first responders and military personnel. Keynote speakers will include Robert The Skidrow CEO, who will share his personal journey of overcoming adversity. Experts will also provide valuable insights into mental health, addiction, and strategies for reaching out for help.
Building Connections & Providing Support
“For the last four years, we’ve come together with the first responder and military agencies in Alberta to openly discuss the challenges surrounding mental health and suicide,” said Diana Legacy, executive director of Legacy Place Society. “We aim to address these sensitive topics and provide a space for individuals to talk openly, seek help, and receive support.”
Over 1,400 individuals attended last year’s event, where many shared that it was a turning point for them in seeking help and acknowledging their struggles. This year, Legacy Place Society hopes for another successful turnout.
Focus on Resiliency & Overcoming Challenges
The Edmonton conference will focus more on military personnel, with Robert The Skidrow sharing his inspiring story of resilience. The Calgary conference will feature various topics on mental wellness, suicide prevention, and self-care for first responders and military families.
Family & Support Networks Welcome
These conferences also provide an opportunity for family members and support networks to understand the realities of living with mental health concerns. It’s a space for them to learn how to better support their loved ones.
Event Details:
- Calgary Conference: September 19, 2019
- Edmonton Conference: September 26, 2019
- Cost: $30 per attendee (includes morning refreshments and lunch)
- Location: Calgary and Edmonton venues (TBA)
Legacy Place Society is committed to promoting mental wellness and suicide prevention for first responders, military members, and veterans. These conferences offer a crucial platform to engage in meaningful dialogue, break down barriers, and encourage individuals to seek help. To learn more or register, visit the Calgary or Edmonton conference websites.
For Inquiries:
Legacy Place Society looks forward to hosting these impactful events and providing critical resources to the first responder and military communities.
If I could forget what my eyes have seen
The Truth Behind the Badge….
- I would stop the years of tragedy from replaying in my head, while trying to sleep at night.
- I would no longer see the face of the young child I couldn’t save from drowning.
- I would no longer see the lifeless bodies lying on the highway at the countless fatality car accidents I’ve worked.
- I would no longer see that person take their last breath who was caught in gang crossfire.
- I would forget the look on a parent’s face, when I told them their child was dead and never coming home.
- I would no longer see the lifeless bodies of every homicide victim I’ve seen over the years.
- I would not remember what a decomposed body looks like, even worse, what one smells like.
- I would forget the look of fear and pain on every domestic violence victim’s face, who endured abuse from someone they loved.
- I would erase the images of child abuse, sex trafficking, and child porn, I was forced to see throughout my career.
If I could forget what my eyes have seen
- my heart would be softer, my trust more attainable, and my guard not always up.
- I’d be less skeptical, less cynical, and remember that kindness in humanity still exists.
- I would no longer break down and cry unexpectedly, like a dam of emotion breaking for reasons unknown.
- I would sleep without issues, cold sweats, and repetitive dreams of being killed, would be a thing of the past.
- I would not have to sit with my back against the wall when out in public, forever on alert, just in case evil were to show up.
- I’d be forever free from the truth that evil is real, it’s out there, I know, because I’ve looked into its eyes.
If I could forget what my eyes have seen, I would not be a police officer.
These are the burdens we carry, the price we pay, to keep you safe.
This is the truth behind our badge.
