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Father reminded of what a great man his son was continued from p.6 "He stayed with her. He didn't go to class that day. He took her out to the football field and they just sat there all day and he talked to her," said Fiorella. "He eventually walked her home and he stayed until she told her mom. She told us that since then she has been seeing a therapist and taking some medication and is now in university. She never really spoke to him again after that, but she credits her life to him." This was not an isolated incident with other people coming forward and telling similar stories nearly every day for about two months following Lucas' death. "He wrote in his journal that helping other people with their problems made him stop thinking about his own and that gave him some relief," said Fiorella. "Despite his pain, he was reaching out and helping other people. We need to keep that going because clearly there are too many people suffering in silence despite the number of programs that are being made available in high schools and post-secondary institutions. They are just not asking for help." This is where Friendship Bench comes in, which was co-founded by Fiorella, a partner with a marketing company, only a matter of days after Lucas' death. On April 21, which would have been Lucas' 20th birthday, Friendship Bench launched a video on www.thefriendshipbench.org and at www.facebook.com/friendshipbench in which Fiorella spoke about his son, the depression with which Lucas lived and his efforts to help others. Fiorella said the video quickly went viral. In just 48 hours, the video on the Facebook page was shared more than 400 times and viewed by 22,000 people. During the same period, the group also reached its first fundraising target of $10,000 with donations coming from all over the world. The funds will see the Friendship Bench team engage in one-year partnerships with participating post-secondary institutions, which will receive digital and social media support and a minimum $1,000 donation to existing on-campus mental health associations to help raise awareness. "We will help them produce PSAs (Public Service Announcements), we will support their programs on our website, we will deliver lectures on mental health supports on their campus," said Fiorella. A yellow bench, the organization's icon, will also be installed at participating schools as a visual reminder for students to speak openly about mental health issues and to encourage them to both ask for help and offer it when needed. The first institution to receive a bench and the help offered by Fiorella's group will be Lucas' school, Carleton University. The group is now working on its secondary goal of raising $25,000 to bring the program to four additional Canadian schools. "Focusing our time and energy on helping others, other parents and other students, has been very rewarding for us," said Fiorella. "It is a constant reminder of what a great man Lucas was. Everybody gives us credit for starting this, but the reality is Lucas started this." Anyone interested in donating to the Friendship Bench can do so at www. thefriendshipbench.org/donate. 7 | Thursday, May 7, 2015 | OAKVILLE BEAVER | www.insideHALTON.com A Full Service FloriSt with A DiFFerence ® M o t h e r ' s Day s u n Day M ay 1 0 t h Super Mom combo 12 Roses & 6 Gerbera Daisies Arranged in a Vase 18" Themed Balloon Premium Greeting Card only $ Open 7 Days/Week · Same Day Local Delivery · Worldwide Delivery 59 99 *Feature Roses 40cm We also deliver throughout the GTA and Hamilton area. oakville: 2387 trafalgar rd. @ Postridge 905.257.0777 11 Ontario Stores: Burlington Oakville Mississauga London (8) www.forestofflowers.com pool supplies sale!! 12' x 24' inGround kidney shAPed Pool instAlled* Free instAllAtion Above Ground Pools* 15' round $2299 18' round $2499 12' x 20' ovAl $3499 15' x 25' ovAl $3999 $ vinyl 27,999 & FiberGlAss AvAilAble sWiM sPAs FroM $ * 16,999 $ 6 kG PuCks 1hP PuMP 504 IROQUOIS SHORE ROAD, UNIT #1, OAKVILLE, ON L6H 3K4 www.leisureindustries.ca *Limited Time Offer, No Dealers Please, Quantities Limited. Restrictions apply. Check in store for details. Not applicable on prior sales. O.A.C. * Products may not be exactly as pictured. 12' 14' 16' 18' 20' x x x x x 24' 28' 32' 36' 40' solAr blAnkets 49.99 $ 59.99 $ 79.99 $ 99.99 $ 129.99 $ MANY MORE SIZES AVAILABLE Expires May 11, 2015 250,000 btu Pool heAter FACtory direCt vinyl liner sAle* rePlACe your old liner And $ 1,499 Expires May 11 SAVE BIG!! 12' 14' 16' 18' 20' x x x x x 24' 28' 32' 36' 40' 905.815.5252 29 99 $ 26999 Expires May 11 AquA vAC robotiC CleAner $ Expires May 11 899 kreePy krAuly AutoMAtiC Pool CleAner $ Expires May 11 349 20 kG Pool sAlt $ Expires May 11 Expires May 11 7 $ $ 99 999 1199 $ 1399 $ 1599 $ 1999