COVID-19 has been hard on everyone’s mental health, along with their physical health if they actually contracted it.
To recognize that, an event called Hope Glows took place on Bainbridge Island last week.
“It is clear that our community, and especially our youth, are stressed after living with COVID for nearly two years,” said Courtney Oliver, executive director at Bainbridge Youth Services, one of the partners in the event that featured 2,000 luminaria bags.
“We see Hope Glows as an opportunity to focus on the importance of taking care of our mental health, the need to let others know they don’t need to be alone in their struggles, and that connection with others is vital to a positive outlook, as is hope,” she added.
The unseasonably good weather kept the outdoor event dry for the white paper bags that illuminated messages of hope, love and encouragement for those struggling with mental health challenges during the pandemic.
BYS invited the community to come together during the darkness of winter to celebrate connection and light.
“Hope can be a good barometer of one’s mental health as it is about your goals and dreams for your future,” Oliver said.
Hope Glows lit up the sidewalks of downtown as more than 2,000 bags hand-decorated by schoolchildren, residents and friends lined Winslow Way between Erickson Street and Madison Avenue for a colorful candlelight walk on a moonlit winter evening.
BYS partnered with the BI Downtown Association and Chamber of Commerce to plan the free luminaria walk with sponsorship from Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, which provided 1,000 light sticks that children used as lightsabers to play with in the dark.
Rhonda Brown, director of Community Relations, watched children play with the light sticks at Winslow Green. VMFH has been sponsoring events with BYS for 10 years, and this was a chance to do something new.
“We typically sponsor a fundraiser every July. But this year, they were trying something new to raise awareness around mental health, and we came up with this idea to host an event,” Brown said.
She added the turnout was fantastic in bringing awareness to mental health and to support BYS. “It’s a pretty phenomenal program. Not every community is blessed to have the resources,” she said.
As Brown reflected on the heartfelt messages of hope on the luminaries, it made her think of the hospital staff and providers who are tired and weary. “I think we see light at the end of the tunnel.”
