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17 · Wednesday, November 30, 2011 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com CHANTAL AYOTTE / OAKVILLE BEAVER SWIMMING FOR MENTAL HEALTH: Oakville resident Frank Zamuner is making great gains for mental health. The activity he does to keep healthy himself has become a means to raising funds for local mental health programs and has been picked up by local youths and Appleby College. Striving for awareness Oakvillians jumped in the pool and swam nearly 5,000 lengths to raise $31,000 -- and counting -- for the benefit of local mental health care. The third annual Swim for Mental Health, organized by 75-year-old Frank Zamuner took place last weekend at Appleby College. The event had three times more participants than last year, all of whom swam in an effort to raise awareness and money. The money will pay for some muchneeded facility upgrades at OakvilleTrafalgar Memorial Hospital. It will help to finance the development of a second isolation room at the hospital's emergency department. This room will provide some privacy. "From my experience, the biggest longterm concern I have around people who have a mental illness is that they develop guilt and shame," said Dr. Kenny Handelman, a child and adolescent psychiatrist who practices out of OTMH. "When we can raise awareness, and decrease stigma, we can significantly improve the long-term outcome because people realize these are real medical issues." The event also tried to build the community's understanding of mental health issues. "We have the power here to raise awareness and overcome the shame surrounding mental illness," said Zamuner, who founded the event after experiencing a severe bout of f depression following heart surgery. "The therapeutic benefits of swimming, the breathing patterns of it, has the power to alter the chemistry of the brain. Helping others is helping yourself." For more information, visit www.swimformentalhealth.com. CUSTOMER APPRECIATION COUPON $$ 25.00 $$ Off any Regular Priced Merchandise over $50.00 Hopedale Mall, Oakville · 905-465-3499 1 coupon per person Wed., NOV. 30th - Sun., Dec. 4th, ONLY Christmas House Tour Fr riday, Decem mber 2, , 2011 evening follow wed by a cocktail re ecepti ion at Oakv k ille Golf Club for $100 0.0 00. Satu urday y, Decem mber 3, 2011from 9:30-4:00 for $35.0 00 St. Andrew's Tour 8 beautifully decorated homes in Oakville. Each home is decorated for the Christmas Season by talented local designers! F R E E I N S TA L L AT I O N S A L E WWW.AYAKITCHENS.COM *Valid only on new orders placed after Sept. 10, 2011. Discount applies to cab binetry y on n full kitchen pur rchase es only y. Not valid with any other promotions. Only at participating locations. For a limited time only. Tickets are on sale now! Visit ww www.sta t ndrew e shouseto t ur. r ca tod day! Procee eds f fo or th t e to t ur wi w ll l be do d nate t d to t Ian Ande d rs r on Ho H use and d The Oakvill lle Marl r ins Sp S ecial Oly lympics Sw wim Te T am For tick ket inf formation plea ase contac ct Ann at 905-842-5265 AYA KITCHENS OF OAKVILLE 1195 North Service Rd. · 905.847.1522 · www.AyAkitchens.com