Blenk family continues to support youth mental health and KGH

Photo: Contributed

Three generations of the Blenk family, developers of Wilden, call the neighbourhood home. Karin Blenk, daughter Lucie Eger and pup Shanti, at the Wild One Run in 2019.

The Blenk family, developers of Wilden in Kelowna’s north end, have gotten creative and devised a unique approach to giving back to the community in support of long-term youth mental health care.

“Every time we help a family see clearer through their struggles with mental health, there’s new energy spreading. It takes an abundance of little steps to create a sustainable resource for hope for young people in our community,” says Karin Eger-Blenk.

Karin Eger-Blenk and her brother, Martin Blenk, are now the second generation to manage the family business. “Once we began reflecting on the important role community plays as a cornerstone of healthy living,” says Karin, “the decision to direct parts of our profit towards the future of the youngest citizens felt very much aligned with our core family values.”

In 2019, the Blenk family established two funds with the KGH Foundation; one that supports immediate needs and an endowment — a sizeable gift whereby profits from the interest will be invested in future initiatives in perpetuity. Endowments themselves are not new, however, the Blenks approach provides a sustainable resource of funding.

The Blenks still live in Wilden host the annual Wild One Run, and this fall was no different. The event had to operate virtually because of COVID-19 but still managed to raise over $8,000, which Blenk Development Corp. matched.

The Blenk Family Fund for Youth Mental Health strengthens the network of mental health support available to young people and families in the Okanagan Valley. Through The Foundry Kelowna and Discovery College, the fund has an immediate impact on the mental well-being of Kelowna’s youth.

Knowing that that youth and families navigating some of the most difficult times of their lives are being supported, and will continue to be supported in their healing provides a source of hope for the Blenks. “It is essential that we make youth mental health a priority, not just put people in charge for it,” says Karin. “My hope is that by raising awareness around the mental health crisis we will get to a point where we all agree to protect youth best we can.”

In close co-operation with KGH Foundation, Interior Health, UBC and CMHA, the Blenk family fund invests in studies to better understand the challenges young people and families are facing.