Hundreds of Vancouver Islanders ditched their clothes and let it all hang out this past weekend, helping nip mental health in the bud.
On March 5th and 6th, 160 naked bungee jumpers at Wildplay Nanaimo made the giant leap into the river below, raising over $100,000 for Mental Health Recovery Partners (MHRP) South Island.
Tom Benson, CEO of WildPlay, says he’s “thrilled” by the impacts of the annual fundraiser, which happens every March and has raised around $450,000 over the past 16 years.
“Well done to all of the brave souls,” said Benson.
This year, those who pledged more than $200 were able to bungee jump for free, with all proceeds going towards mental health recovery programs island-wide—enabling support for over 625 people, according to MHRP.
Hazel Meredith, CEO of MHRP, says organizers are overwhelmed at the outpouring of support. She says it “lets us know mental health matters.”
“This support helps us help more people through peer support, wellness workshops, family support and counselling,” added Meredith.
