The eighth annual Ride Don’t Hide campaign is underway in the city of Kamloops.

Three-time Olympian Catharine Pendrel helped kick off the campaign this week, with the goal to raise $60,000 for the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Pendrel says the campaign is about bringing the discussion around mental health to the forefront.

“I think it combines the two things that are so important for your mental health and that is physical activity and building community,” she says. “This ride is about starting a conversation about mental health, not just mental illness. Letting people know what is available in our community for education, programming and services around mental health.”

Pendrel got involved with the campaign adding that mental health issues can affect anyone.

“People can feel that reaching out and asking for help is a sign of weakness or failure but struggling with mental health isn’t a weakness,” Pendrel said on the NL Morning News.

“Everyone goes through ups and downs and conversations about mental health isn’t just a one time conversation. It’s something that has to happen again and again over time, and that resources are out there for people that are struggling with mental health.”

Ride Don’t Hide Manager Shelley Trudeau says the conversation around mental health issues have improved in the eight years, since the event began in Kamloops.

“When we first started there was some resistance to people coming on as sponsors and registering for the ride, or volunteering,” Trudeau said. “Now I can be in a group of people and they will openly talk about the mental health issues that they are having, the struggles they are having.”

The Ride Don’t Hide bike ride in Kamloops takes place on June 23 at Riverside Park.