The Austen Berlet Campout for Mental Health is a philanthropic event organized in partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA). It is purposed to raise awareness and open the conversation to mental illness – a nation-wide pandemic that affects 1 in every 5 Canadians. This will be our fourth annual event, and will run April 5th – April 6th for 24 straight hours at London’s Victoria Park. The event will be hosting Western University’s student community, and will hopefully be hearing from individuals such as the Dean of Western University, Amit Chakma; the Mayor of London, Joe Fontana; and the Executive Director of CMHA-London Middlesex, Michael Petrenko. With over 1,500 expected attendees, Victoria Park will be hosting various activities that promote health, friendship, and a properly balanced lifestyle. These activities include an all-day BBQ, Training workouts, Moksha Yoga sessions, American Football tournaments, and musical performances by local and renowned artists from all-across Canada. With our efforts, the gentlemen of Phi Gamma Delta are looking to achieve our collective goal of commemorating our lost brother, Austen Berlet, who took his life five years ago after suffering from Bipolar Disorder. With the help of the Berlet family and the event’s sponsors, we hope to raise $12 500 for the London-Middlesex branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association.  

   

As a brother of Phi Gamma Delta, one of our core values is service . Historically, our Fraternity has been extremely

engaged in philanthropic events, both inside and outside of Western University. This event carries extreme significance to

our organization, as we celebrate the life of a lost brother, Austen Berlet.

The Austen Berlet Campout for Mental Health is organized every annum to remember Austen, who was diagnosed as

Bipolar in 2007 and later took his own life on July 20, 2009.      

As a founding father of Phi Gamma Delta at Western, Austen played a significant role in starting our organization. We

consider ourselves blessed to have known Austen as an outstanding individual who prescribed to morality and

scholarship. Austen was accepted the Western University for advanced theoretical physics and had much going for him. As

a aspiring leader with strong intellect, he had a theoretical-physics thesis published by the University of Texas at age 16.

His struggle with depression began when he was 16, and later took his own life as result of his mental disorder.

The 2014 Austen Berlet Campout For Mental Health will be Phi

Gamma Delta’s fourth annual event. This event is meant to celebrate Austen’s life, promote mental health, and educate

the Western Community of the available channels that can be used to alleviate stress, anxiety, depression, insomnia and the

hundreds of other mental illnesses.  

“In loving memories of Austen D. Berlet”

   

Founded in 1848, Phi Gamma Delta is a Fraternity represented by over 160 000 members throughout the United States and Canada. The Lambda Omega Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta was founded in 1968 at the University of Western Ontario, by a brother from the Tau Kappa chapter in Toronto. In early 2009, Field Secretary Matt Edgar recruited 34 men to become the new Founding Fathers of the Lambda Omega Colony and continue the traditions of one of the oldest Fraternity's at the University of Western Ontario. Phi Gamma Delta exists to promote lifelong friendships, to reaffirm high ethical standards and values, and to foster personal development in the pursuit of excellence. Phi Gamma Delta is committed to providing opportunities for each brother to develop responsibility, leadership, scholarship and social skills to become a fully contributing member of society.  

FACT: This year, the gentlemen of the Lambda

Omega Chapter of Phi Gamma Delta planned,

prepared, and organized a ‘Get Swabbed’

campaign that successfully registered

over 450 donors to contribute in expanding

the bone marrow network! The gentlemen

were featured on numerous media outlets such as the CTV and the

Western Gazette!

   

Founded in 1918, the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA) is one of Canada's oldest not-for-profit organizations. With more than 10,000 staff and volunteers in hundreds of communities across Canada, CMHA provides vital services and support to well over half a million Canadians every year. As the nation-wide leader and champion for mental health, CMHA facilitates access to the resources people require to maintain and improve mental health and community integration, build resilience and support recovery from mental illness. For mental health and mental illness information, resources and tools and to find a CMHA community location, please go to www.cmha.ca. For more information about our programs and services, please visit www.london.cmha.ca.