For those who advocate for mental health resources and seek to help end the stigma, one local institution took a major leap forward. 

Saskatchewan Polytechnic in Moose Jaw saw dignitaries, special guests, staff, and students make it out to a special announcement that started the week. 

"[Monday] we unveiled the bench in Moose Jaw, and [Tuesday] we will unveil a bench in Prince Albert in the morning, and in Saskatoon in the afternoon. The Friendship Bench is a yellow bench that is a symbol and meant to encourage people to sit down and talk and have conversations about mental health," explained Tobi Strohan, Associate Vice President of Student Services with Sask Polytechnic.

She said the significance behind the bench is an emotional story that turned into an initiative to hopefully one day help to end suicide. 

"The Friendship Bench project was started by Sam Fiorella. He was inspired to found the bench and initiative after the loss of his son Lucas to suicide. Lucas was a university student and his family was unaware of his suffering with depression," said Strohan. "We received our first yellow bench in 2017 in Regina on our Regina Campus and that was the first yellow bench in Saskatchewan. And now there are 50 yellow benches across the country. The Moose Jaw bench [on Monday] was actually number 50."