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Colourful attempt at world record

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People of all ages are invited to colour their way into the record books Sunday while supporting the United Way of Hastings and Prince Edward.

 

Organizers of the first “Colouring our Community” event hope to break a world record for the most people colouring in one place. They will gather at the Sears Home Centre, north of the Quinte Mall’s food court entrance, between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m.

“The current record is 545 people, which was set in China earlier this year,” said Autumn MacPherson, who with fellow student Ashley Melvin is planning the morning on behalf of the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). The association’s Hastings and Prince Edward Branch is a United Way member agency.

“How many people can say they’ve been part of trying to break a world record?” asked Melvin. Both are third-year students in Loyalist College’s community and justice services program.

She suggested families to attend before their Christmas shopping.

The association will provide all materials – and only the provided colouring pages, crayons, etc. may be used. There will be a variety of options, including kid-friendly pages.

Visitors should, however, bring a pillow, blanket or cushion on which to sit and a clipboard or other object on which to colour.

The event comes at a time when the local United Way campaign is about 15 per cent behind that of last year. The charity’s development director, Curt Flewelling, said $1.255 million had been raised by Tuesday morning compared to $1.475 million at this time last year.

“It’s really tight,” said Flewelling. The campaign has already included some of the dollars from Procter and Gamble – its largest donor historically – though that company will unveil its final total Wednesday.

Flewelling said United Way staff are still inviting businesses to hold campaigns or organize donations by payroll deduction. He welcomed the mental health association’s suggestion of the colouring event.

“It’s really creative,” he said.

The CMHA’s executive director, Sandie Sidsworth, said the United Way not only provides funding but has aided her agency’s work on its strategic plan and supported a major grant application. It resulted in a 2015 grant of nearly $300,000 from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. That, in turn, helped the CMHA to cut its reliance upon United Way funding.

Sidsworth said Sunday’s colouring event is an extension of the CMHA’s regular Friday-afternoon colouring group. Studies have shown colouring images reduces anxiety and stress and the group may give people a sense of belonging or being included, she said.

It draws from seven to 15 people per session, none of whom to date have any connection to the association. They just want to colour.

“It’s a just a quiet place for gentle conversation,” Sidsworth said.

The students are also involved in that program, which is overseen by volunteer Monda Whiteman.

“It’s a good chance to turn off your phone and just focus on something,” Melvin said. “You get to talk to new people, too, so it’s interesting. Everyone has their own reason why they like to colour.”

“A lot of the colouring pages we’ve chosen (for Sunday) are about spreading kindness,” Melvin said.

Registration begins at 8:30 and a minimum donation of $5 to the United Way is required.

For more about Sunday’s event or the Friday program, call the CMHA at 613-969-8874 or visit the Facebook page called “Colouring our Community” for United Way.

To donate to the United Way, call 613-962-9531 or visit unitedwayofquinte.ca.

lhendry@postmedia.com 

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