Ducktober Launched In SABA Style To Kick Off Mental Health Month
Images: AtDusk Photography
On the 1st of October the team at Waves of Wellness (WOW) Foundation commenced Mental Health Month in spectacular style at Manly Beach, Sydney. It was also the launch of our new Ducktober campaign to raise awareness of mental health and funds for our life-changing surf therapy programs.
At sunrise the WOW team, community and friends took their surfboards to Manly Beach for a ‘board meeting’ with a twist. To make a bold statement, we swapped wetsuits for corporate business suits, supported by Australian fashion label, SABA, a proud sponsor of the inaugural Ducktober campaign.
October is Mental Health Month in Australia and WOW have set the challenge to get in the water every day of the month. By getting ‘webbed feet’, we will take on the ‘Ducktober’ challenge.
WOW CEO Joel Pilgrim officially launched the Ducktober campaign at Manly Beach.
“Ducktober is all about raising awareness and funds for mental health, by taking to the ocean like a duck to water,” Mr Pilgrim said.
“We’re encouraging everyone, no matter where you are in the world, to get involved, especially in light of the challenging year we’ve all had.
Even if you can’t get into the ocean, you can commit to swimming in a pool or simply taking a one-minute cold shower. Commitment is the name of the game and I can guarantee that you’ll be feeling the positive mental health benefits of the cold water.”
From anywhere in the world, WOW encourages you to ‘Immerse for a Month’ to raise vital funds to support WOW’s surf therapy mental health programs, to help more lives, in more communities, across Australia.
WOW uses the metaphor of bringing a duck’s battling - and often overlooked - webbed feet to the surface in order to help break the stigma of mental health challenges.
“Just like someone’s mental health, it’s hard to really know how someone is coping unless we have the important conversations”, noted Mr Pilgrim.
Ducktober’s Board Meetings: We will officially close Ducktober with a ‘Board’ Meeting Finale at Manly Beach, NSW, on Saturday October 31st, 6am to 8am AEST. If you’d like to come please register via our Facebook event.
How To Get Involved In Ducktober:
Anyone can register and sign up online at https://wowducktober.raisely.com/
Share your commitment and your ‘why’ for getting involved with this mental health campaign with friends, family and colleagues.
Raise funds as you commit to surfing, swimming, bodyboarding or taking a one-minute cold shower everyday, at your local beach, pool or if isolated, your own shower!
Hold a Board Meeting in your own area. Share with WOW using the hashtag #WOWDucktober
