It was all fun and games for a good cause at Kelowna's Stuart Park on Thursday, May 8. 

There wasn't a cloud in the sky as first responders from the Kelowna RCMP, Kelowna Fire Department (KFD), City of Kelowna by-law officers, and BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) competed in the third annual Mental Health Games. The purpose of the games is for all involved to have fun in a friendly competition while bringing awareness to the mental health of first responders. 

"The organizations came together as a way to support mental health while engaging in friendly competition," said Kelowna RCMP Sgt. Pollock, explained each organization created their own challenge for the event.

This was the third annual event, and the first time it was available for the public to attend. Many stopped along the boardwalk to take in the action, as did two Grade 4 classes from Bankhead Elementary, who were brought down to watch the event. 

"It was fun to get everyone out, to make some awareness of mental health, to see all the first response agencies working together, having fun competing, and we ended up with a beautiful day," said City of Kelowna Fire Chief Dwight Seymour.

The event signified the importance of the organizations coming together in a positive way.

"As a former police officer myself, it was great to see all the first responders working together doing something fun and light-hearted," said City of Kelowna manager of community safety services Kevin Duggan. "Often when we meet together and work together, it's usually not the best of circumstances so it's great to be able to do something fun for a change."

All organizations echoed the growth and importance of mental health in their respective fields as it affects everyone, with Duggan stating first responders are humans like everyone else.

"Mental Health with first responders has been an ongoing concern that's been unrecognized for decades and the fact that we can get together with our allied agencies and share this time and make everybody aware of the things that we handle every day and our frontline teams have to deal with together, I think it's amazing to be in public and express these things," said Todd Onsorge, BCEHS clinical operations director for Central Interior. 

All four events were timed, and the team with the best time combined from the event won. For the second straight year, the Kelowna Fire Department took home the trophy.

"The icing on the cake was fire teams finishing first and second," said Seymour.