Day of Joy includes free ice cream
A Barrie company may have found the secret to joy, if not happiness.
Comfort Keepers has named this the year to Reclaim the Joy, and June 29 is its Day of Joy.
The good folks – located at 51 Churchill Drive – are celebrating by passing out sundaes to spread more joy on their Sundae Fun Day.
Ooey-gooey ice cream aside, a communal sharing of joy is considered a strong factor even in the driest of data-laden surveys.
Statistics Canada released the Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) in the midst of the global pandemic which may have skewed some of the numbers.
However, it's worth noting that across Canada in 2019, 15.9 million people perceived their health as very good or excellent, and even more Canadians, 16.6 million, reported their mental health was very good, if not excellent.
Only 1.7 million said their mental health was poor, and not surprisingly, that figure rose to 2.3 million people by 2020.
Self-reported stress levels hovered around 5.3 million in both 2019 and 2020.
What makes people happy or experience a sense of joy?
According to the 2020 World Happiness Report, urban residents "are generally happier than rural dwellers in most countries, with these advantages being less, and sometimes reversed in a number of richer countries."
Canada is considered a richer country, so our average life satisfaction is lower in urban areas than in rural ones.
However, Barrie is a small urban city surrounded by rural farmland and forests, so we might be living in the best of both worlds.
In keeping with statistical analysis, according to last year's Comfort Keepers National Day Joy of Survey, 80 per cent of Canadians believe the world needs more joy.
"In our community, we have always celebrated the value and importance of connecting with family and friends, savouring the simple moments and not taking life for granted," said Erika Rendon, owner of Comfort Keepers.
"Our amazing network of caregivers bring moments of joy to so many seniors every day of the year – even during the most challenging of times. We thank them for all of their dedication and support and encourage our community to do their part in reclaiming joy for themselves, friends and loved ones," she said.
"It's never too late to take back the joy we may have missed and inspire others to do the same."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.