Ross Knechtel is as busy in his retired life as he was while working. And it’s for his dedication to numerous volunteer organizations that Knechtel, 74, received the 2015 Senior Citizen of the Year Award for Guelph.
It’s a provincial award that each municipality in Ontario gives to a senior who goes above and beyond with their volunteer work. Knetchtel was presented with the award at Monday’s council meeting.
While Knechtel gives his time to numerous organizations in Guelph, including the Wellington Men’s Club, the Evergreen Seniors Centre, the Guelph Wellington Seniors’ Association, and was a long time volunteer with the distress call centre, it’s his work with the Mood Disorders Association of Guelph and its regional counterpoint, the Mood Disorders Association of Ontario, where his greatest passions lie, he said.
He runs the local group and is regional coordinator for the provincial organization, overseeing groups in Guelph, Hamilton, Georgetown, Vineland, and is looking to start groups in Milton and Erin-Rockwood.
“It’s a two-tier volunteer job,” he said in an interview. “I manage existing groups and help start new ones. I hope to use this award as a platform to raise awareness about mood disorders.”
Knechtel started his working life as a chemist with the Ministry of the Environment and later moved to the private sector. He also had stints as a teacher in a high school and community college.
But he suffers from psychotic depression, a condition that makes him “see things that are not really there, like people stealing from you,” he said. “It’s not a nice place to be.”
He said he’s had several episodes in his life, but once collapsed on the job many years ago and had to be taken to hospital by ambulance. It got him into treatment, but pretty much ended his professional career. After that he worked a series of odd jobs and has since retired.
“This happens,” he said. “I know from the group that it happens to a lot of people.”
The mood disorders group is a peer support group for anyone with any kind of mental diagnosis. Members share their experience and offer support and guidance as they learn to manage and live with their disorders.
One of the programs they offer is called ‘Laughing Like Crazy,’ which trains participants to perform stand-up comedy. Knechtel said the Canadian Mental Health Association offers a similar program called ‘Stand Up for Mental Health’ but as a peer support group, theirs is a little different.
The strength of the program is to build confidence and to see the humour in their challenges.
“It’s a proven recovery tool,” he said, adding the group just performed at the Evergreen Centre.
Despite the time he gives to these organizations, Knechtel said he has learned to make time for himself.
“You get to know yourself when you’re in therapy,” he said. “You learn to be on guard for the symptoms.”