A Look Back at the 2nd Annual Men’s Mental Health Forum

Last week, our community came together in a powerful way for the 2nd Annual Men’s Mental Health Forum, hosted by the Slave Lake & Area Mental Health Network in collaboration with Men’s Shed Alberta, Alberta Health Services, the Rotary Club of Slave Lake Public Library, FCSS Slave Lake, ATCO Energy Systems, and Community Futures.

With 92 individuals registered and 80 plus people attending, this year’s turnout was much higher than last year, showing how strongly our community cares about men’s mental health.

A Night of Connection and Real Conversation

The highlight of the evening was the one-hour interactive keynote from mental health advocate Allan Kehler. Allan’s message connected deeply with the audience. The feedback was incredibly positive, with 98% of participants saying they were satisfied with the event. Many shared that they felt encouraged, supported, and equipped with new tools for their mental wellness.

Here are some of the key lessons people took home:

• Create a home where emotional conversations are welcome.

• Listen with intention and be present for others.

• Understand that men and women may react to stress differently.

• Reach out instead of handling struggles alone.

• Remember that love and forgiveness are essential.

• Treat emotional pain the same way as physical pain—don’t hide it; talk about it.

• “Feeling leads to healing” was a message many people held onto.

• If trauma can be passed down, then so can healing.

  
  

Several attendees even reached out for help after the forum, showing the real impact of creating safe spaces for honest conversations.

Introducing the Men’s Shed Model

We also heard from the Alberta Men’s Shed Association, who introduced the Men’s Shed model—a friendly, non-clinical space where men can meet, share skills, connect socially, and reduce isolation.

The event also hosted a panel discussion made up of community members who brought different perspectives on men’s wellness:

• Allan Fournier – Narcotics Anonymous

• Mitch Mann – Lesser Slave Lake First Responders

• Richard Nasedkin – Men’s Shed Alberta

• Allan Kehler – Keynote Speaker

The 2025 forum reminded us of a simple truth: when men feel supported, our whole community becomes stronger. Thank you to everyone who attended, listened, shared, and helped make this gathering meaningful for so many. 💙

A Heartfelt Thank-You to Our Community Partners

We are grateful for the generous support of the following businesses who donated door prizes, coffee, and room sponsorship for our guest speaker. Their kindness helped make the evening warm, welcoming, and engaging for everyone who attended.

🙏 Thank you to:

• Tolko• Slave Lake Helicopters• ATCO Energy System• Slave Lake Dental• Rotary Club of Slave Lake Public Library• Grizzly Ridge Powersports• Lakeview Inn & Suites• Slave Lake Tim Hortons• McDonald’s Canada• Soulshine •Southshore Hidden Treasure • Allan Kehler (donating books for our raffle.)

Thanks to their support, attendees enjoyed fresh coffee, exciting door prizes, and a positive overall experience throughout the night.

P.S. Thank you to our organizing committee—Gailene Kazakoff, Cyndal Johnston, Susan Al-Mais, and Divine Kitchen. Their hard work on securing grants, sponsorships, and event planning helped bring this forum to life and made it a success.