Fundraising Event supporting BC First Responders and their families who have been affected by Post Traumatic Stress ( ptsd ) Mental Health challenges.

BC First Responders and family members will flip a 400 lb Tractor Tire 5000 flips making their way around Stanley Park Sea Wall to raise funds / awareness to PTSD / Mental Health.

Our main goal is to raise enough funds to send 2 First Responders and their family members to participate at a 7 day Camp My Way Wilderness Therapy Program.

Date: June 1 2019

Starting Location: Olympic Cauldron beside Coal Harbor Cactus Club
1085 Canada Place – via Stanley Park Sea Wall

Start Time: 11 am – 6 pm ( pst )

Fundraising Goal: $25.000.00

Who’s involved :
Firefighters, Police Officers, Paramedics, Search and Rescue , Corrections Officers

Pledge $5.00 per flip.

Funds raised will also cover
* 1 new canoe , 2 paddles, 2 life jackets
* safety equipment
* 2 full camping packs
* insurance
* operational costs
* travel expenses
* first aid / backcountry guide

CONTACT : Terrance@campmyway.com

Sponsors:
Sunshine Valley Volunteer Fire dept
Hope Volunteer Fire Rescue
Hope Search and Rescue
Salt Spring Island Fire Dept
Vancouver PD
Clearwater Fire Rescue
Pender Island Fire Rescue

June 1
We will start with welcoming to the territories song, drumming and smudge before we have a 10 minute meditation, breathing exercise, group warm up with all of our sponsored First Responders and their families who will be helping flip our tire around the sea wall to raise funds to send 2 first responders and their spouses to a 7 day Camp My Way Wilderness Therapy program in June 2019.

During the month of April, May Camp My Way will be presenting our First Responder Family Program to various Emergency Service departments in the lower mainland.

If you would like us to present at your Hall or Dept – please email terrance@campmyway.com

Our “Just Breathe” presentation offers self help natural tools, education, and knowledge.

With education comes a better understanding, so we are able to recognize, prevent, manage, and de-stigmatize Post Traumatic Stress, Mental Health and Substance Abuse challenges at home and in the workplace.

Our unique program offers an effective trauma / stress management, and recovery strategy, that will moderate the effects of life-challenging events, and provide a sense of empowerment.

Fire Chief Arjuna George – Testimonial First Responder Family Program at Training in Paradise 2018 VIDEO

Camp My Way 2018 Testimonials:

                                                   Captain Dale Lundy Video Testimonial – CLICK

                               Canadian Armed Forces Veteran Max Gaboriault -Testimonial CLICK

                                                      At Risk Youth – Harley Dundas – CLICK

Map Route – starting

BC Fire Chiefs Expo – https://bcfireexpo.ca/2019/home.php#header
7:15 am – 8:15 am

“Just Breathe” Presentation : 

OUR MAIN GOAL IS

PROVIDE TIME IN A HEALTHY, SAFE, NATURAL ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR MIND, BODY, SOUL TO HEAL

By practicing meditation, self-reflection, exercise and proper nutrition with our daily routines we can help suppress and manage  the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Reactions, Mental Health and Substance Abuse challenges with other campers who have similar lived experiences.

Day 1 

Hike up to cabin at Twin Lakes – spend 1 night

Day 2

Prepare for 7 day canoe trip/portage

Depart – Anderson Lake – 26 km canoe

Day 3

Lost valley – Almeida Hut – Base Camp 2

Day 4

Portage to Seton Lake – Camp at BC Hydro Camp Site

Day 5

Drive to top of Mission Mountain – 15 kms – Hike to Base Camp 3 – set up camp

Day 6

Day hike – hike to tip of Pimple Mountain – Back to Base Camp 3

Day 7

Return to Base Camp / Seton Portage

An Educational, & Inspirational Adventure Experience of a life time.

It’s one thing to have a  Motorcycle ride to raise awareness for PTSD , but the only people who are made Aware are “the riders”.

This is why we are adding something totally unique to the way awareness and funds are being raised for Canadian Armed Forces  Veterans, BC First Responders and their families who have been affected by PTSD / Mental Health, Substance Abuse challenges.

Our 11 day interactive motorcycle ride / presentation offers natural self care tools, education, and knowledge.
( all bike makes / models  / custom cars / trucks welcome )

With education comes a better understanding, so we are better able to recognize, prevent, manage, and de-stigmatize Post Traumatic Stress, ( PTSD ) Mental Health and Substance Abuse challenges at home and in the workplace.

We’re offering safe, healthy and natural solutions that will better equip you and your family for handling the inevitable stresses we encounter at home and on the job.

Strengthen Behavioural, Emotional, Physical & Spiritual Well-Being

The skills, tools, and techniques you will learn from our presentation will better equip you and your family for handling the inevitable stresses you encounter at home and on the job.

Our unique presentation offers an effective trauma / stress management, and recovery strategy, that will moderate the effects of life-challenging events, and provide a sense of empowerment.

  
                Core Learnings

*  we will be sharing three simple, safe diagnostic checks that will confirm if a person is locked in a state of fight or flight, or a withdrawn, dissociative state of nervous system shutdown.

*  we will also be sharing simple self help techniques that can be used daily to help deactivate these states.

* for those that keep regressing after their self help techniques, we know the issue is more mechanical in nature, and we can refer you to a skilled practitioner in your area who can help.

Recognize signs and symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress / Substance abuse Physical, Emotional, Mental Health Fundamentals

Trauma Strength / Growth Explored

Suicide Awareness / Prevention / Intervention
                    
         Create a plan with your family

                          By the end of our presentation you’ll be able to:


Understand and utilize the benefits of meditation, exercise, proper nutrition, and daily routine.

Understand how stress in the workplace impacts our families physical / mental well being.

Understand Post Traumatic Stress, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse challenges.

Overcome the stigma associated with PTSD, and mental health challenges

Incorporate best practices in personal resilience and stress management that promote good behavioural emotional, physical and spiritual health.

Apply best self care self help practices for you and your family.

Have a more clear and better understanding of PTSD, and apply the natural tools to our daily routine to help manage the effects stress and stress reactions have on our lives.

Presented by:

Terrance J. Kosikar
Founder / Executive Director Camp My Way
Social Justice / Mental Health Advocate
Former Firefighter / EMR
President Bikers Against Bullying Chapter 8 – 212 Crew 

Terrance Kosikar, was a First Responder to a fatal accident during an event at the Whistler Sliding Centre during the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

Although well trained in a myriad of life saving techniques, he was not prepared to deal with the emotional impact sustained when those techniques were not enough. As a result of the fatality, Kosikar developed PTSD that launched him into a very costly downward spiral.

During several years of severe depression, attempted suicide, and substance abuse, Kosikar lost his family,  career, and nearly his life. Pushed to his breaking point, Kosikar found salvation within.

Escaping to the back-country he had found peace and purpose in mother nature​’s ​beauty and simplicity.

With  awareness and  education about this debilitating injury, we are able to help Combat Veterans, First Responders and their families prevent / manage the struggles that are associated with Post Traumatic Stress Difficulties, ( PTSD), mental, behavioural health and substance abuse challenges.

Our Ride – On Aug 10 – 21

August 10th: Burnaby – Squamish 

8:30  am meet at Trev Deeley Motorcycles Burnaby
9 am Kick stands up 

-ride to Squamish Motofest – https://squamishmotofest.com

Camp My Way  / Bikers Against Bullying will have our booths all day.
Let the Games Begin Book signing , by Terrance Kosikar

Squamish Motorcycle Festival is an annual  festival that takes over downtown Squamish (Cleveland Ave at Victoria) every year in August. 

This year the festival will be Saturday, August 10th starting at 9am – 8pm.

Come join us for test rides, stunts, bike show, food and live music.

We are 100% volunteer run as we are a not for profit society with all proceeds going directly back into the community. We have raised over $7,000 since 2012 and all money raised goes directly into the Squamish Food Bank. 

August 11th:  Squamish  – 70 Mile BC 

10 am – ride to Lillooet BC 
Presentation Lillooet Fire Rescue / Search and Rescue / community

3 pm ride to 70mile house 

-sleep at Flying U Ranch – https://www.flyingu.com

August 12th:

-day/sleep at Flying U Ranch

August 13th:

-day/sleep at Flying U Ranch

August 14th:  70 Mile – Kamloops BC  

-ride to Kamloops

-sleep

August 15th

Presentation – Kamloops Fire Rescue / Local community

-day/sleep in Kamloops

August 16th: Kamloops – Vernon 

-ride to Vernon

-sleep

August 17th:

Presentation Kal Tire / Vernon Fire Rescue / Local Community

August 18th:

To be determined

August 19th: Vernon – Kelowna 

-ride to Kelowna

-sleep

August 20th:

-meet rolling barrage – http://www.therollingbarrage.com

-sleep

August 21:  Kelowna – Burnaby 

-ride to Trev Deeley

Subject: International Police Association (Canada Region 15 – Monteregie) President’s Dinner of October 25, 2019

Dear Mr. Terrance Kosikar, Director of Camp My Way

By way of retired RCMP Staff Sgt. Paul Easton, it has come to my attention that you have indicated an interest to attend the International Police Association’s (Canada Region 15 – Monteregie) President’s Dinner of October 25, 2019 in the capacity of a guest. Specifically, you have offered to attend as a guest speaker, along with retired RCMP Sgt. Josée Querry, on the topic of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

The topic at hand is very relevant in light of all too often mental health afflictions and suicides of First Responders. Therefore, please accept the present as our agreement to your proposal, under specific conditions.

1. You and Josée Querry coordinate your material for a maximum of 1.5hrs. of speech time;
2. You and Josée Querry understand that your combined presentation will be to serving and retired law enforcement officers, and offered in both English and French;

3. We recognize the great work that you do at Camp My Way and your specific expertise, and look forward to having you as a guest speaker.

   Respectfully Yours
   Christian Parent, President IPA R15