Tractor Trek drives support for Eden’s mental health services across Manitoba

Article content

Eden Foundation’s 18th annual Tractor Trek rolls through southern Manitoba this Saturday, continuing a tradition that has raised over $1 million to support essential mental health programming in the region.

Article content

However, behind the gleaming vintage tractors and the community barbecue lies a deeper story: One of a grassroots mental health organization that has grown far beyond its Winkler roots to deliver services across southern Manitoba, into Winnipeg, and Steinbach.

Article content

Recommended Videos

Article content

Eden Health Care Services — the operational arm of the organization — provides four key types of mental health support: Inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care, supportive housing, counselling through Recovery of Hope, and vocational training through its Segue employment services. Eden Foundation, a separate but connected entity, exists to raise funds and offer grants to these programs.

“Eden Health Care Services is the umbrella organization that provides the services, and the Foundation is the fundraising arm,” explained Dave Sawatzky, Director of Development for Eden Foundation. “Each year, programs apply to the Foundation for grants, and we assess our fundraising capacity to determine how much we can allocate.”

Article content

Article content

Mental health services offered by Eden include inpatient and outpatient psychiatric care in Winkler, with outpatient supports also available in Winnipeg and Steinbach. The Winkler-based mental health centre has been in operation since the late 1960s.

Eden also provides deeply affordable and supportive housing in all three communities — a key pillar of its work with individuals facing chronic mental health challenges. In Winnipeg, that housing is centred around Concordia, where Eden operates an apartment complex offering both stability and day-to-day support.

“Supportive housing is more than just affordable housing,” said Sawatzky. “We have staff helping residents stay on track with medication and day-to-day routines. It’s hands-on support that enables people to live independently.”

Article content

Through Recovery of Hope, Eden offers counselling for individuals, couples and families navigating life’s ups and downs, with its largest team of counsellors based in Winnipeg. Meanwhile, the Segue employment program helps people overcome barriers to work by offering vocational assessments, resume assistance, workplace placements, and on-the-job support.

Currently, employment supports are offered in Winkler and Steinbach, with hopes to grow in other areas. “We want to be the leading mental health service provider in the Southern Health region,” said Sawatzky. “That includes expanding where need is evident — and the need in Winnipeg is significant.”

This Saturday’s Tractor Trek fundraiser plays a crucial role in making those services possible. Modeled after a walkathon or cycling event, participants bring out vintage — and now also non-vintage — tractors and collect pledges for a 40 km countryside ride. The day begins with a public barbecue and viewing of the tractors before participants hit the road, looping through nearby towns and villages and ending with a celebratory supper.

Article content

The event has become a fixture in the region’s summer calendar. “Some of the original participants from 18 years ago are still leading the way,” said Sawatzky. “We typically raise around $90,000 a year, and it’s truly a community event. Even before I worked here, I attended and saw how meaningful it was to everyone involved.”

Registration remains open until the day of the event, and anyone with a tractor — vintage or otherwise — is welcome to join. “We didn’t want the absence of a vintage tractor to be a barrier,” said Sawatzky. “If you care about mental health and want to participate, we’ll find a place for you.”

Funds raised from the Tractor Trek will be directed through Eden Foundation to support ongoing programming in communities across Manitoba. Sawatzky encourages anyone interested in supporting the event or Eden’s broader mission to donate at edenhealthcare.ca, where a dedicated Tractor Trek page is available.

“This organization was started by the community, and the community continues to be its strongest supporter,” he said. “It’s amazing to see that continuity.”

— Pam Fedack is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the Winnipeg Sun. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.

Have thoughts on what’s going on in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, or across the world? Send us a letter to the editor at [email protected].

Article content