MOOSE JAW — Following its fourth successful year, Homestand ’24 brought to you by the folks at River Street Promotions (RSP) recently concluded with warm weather and a strong turnout at the Ross Wells Park stadium.
Now that proceeds have been tallied, RSP has handed a check for $20,000 to help maintain the Ross Wells Park venue and a second check for $130,000 to maintain the youth mental wellness program shared by both school divisions.
The announcement was made in the lobby of the Temple Gardens Mineral Spa recently.
Jared Mathiesen, a co-founder of RSP, said Homestand ’24 saw attendance by 2,700 guests. “(Homestand 2024) was a lot bigger than the 800 (who attended) our first year, so yeah, (it was a) super success,” he announced at the spa.
This year’s Homestand concert kicked off in the late afternoon of Sept. 7 and featured a hit lineup including Moose Jaw’s own Trick Ryder. The show also featured 54-40, Belle Plaine, The Steadies, Doc Walker, and closed with the Canadian band Toque, which featured former Moose Jaw resident Cory Churko and his mates Todd Kerns, Brent Fitz, and Derek Frank.
RSP is a volunteer-driven, non-profit organization promoting local mental health initiatives through entertainment programs. All proceeds support a fund accessible by both the Prairie South School Division (PSSD) and the Holy Trinity Catholic School Division (HTCSD) for projects supporting youth mental health and well-being.
“We are just super appreciative of all the support from (RSP) who puts on such great events for our community and brings the community together to support the mental health of our youth in southern Saskatchewan,” announced Amanda Olson, the superintendent of learning for PSSD.
The funds, Olson explained, primarily go towards the grant managed by RSP that both school divisions can apply to and access funding for projects they determine to be most impactful.
“So that can be anything the school needs — it can be based on student needs, it could be a guest presenter, some workshops, mental health wellness first aid kits, training, things like that,” she said.
“Last year,” she added, “some of the funds also went to a youth virtual conference, as well as the Music City in Moose Jaw event where over 800 students were able to listen to four national artists perform, tell their stories about their mental health journeys, and (about their) journeys in life and the music business.”
For the upcoming school year, Olson said the schools plan to hold the grand match once again and she’s hopeful that a similar youth conference can be held in 2025.
“And, at Homestand (2024), we kicked off our ‘Your Presence Matters’ campaign in (PSSD) in which (RSP) donated some funds for the kick-off of the campaign,” she said.
Your Presence Matters is an ongoing project aiming to remind students that they belong, they’re cared about, and that they are welcomed where they attend school.
“We care about you, and you’re welcome in our schools. We want you to be there on a regular basis because that’s important to your mental health as well as your learning,” she said.
Any local businesses interested in supporting the Your Presence Matters campaign can do so by contacting the PSSD at 306-694-1200, toll free at 1-877-434-1200, by Facebook or X (formerly Twitter), or online at PrairieSouth.ca/Contact/Central-Office.
Similarly, the HTCSD can be reached at 306-694-5333 or online at HTCSD.ca.
Olson concluded with a message of appreciation on behalf of both school divisions.
“From the bottom of our hearts we are so appreciative that River Street Promotions is supporting youth mental health, promoting in our community, and talking about mental health on a regular basis,” she said.
To learn more about the work done by River Street Promotions, visit RiverStreetPromotions.com.
