On July 17, 2026, Veterans, first responders, community organizations, clinicians, sponsors and supporters gathered at Hylands Golf Club in Gloucester for the third annual Light for Veterans Charity Golf Tournament.
MindSpa Mental Health Centre was honoured to sponsor a hole and take part in a day shaped by conversation, camaraderie and a shared commitment to those who serve. For our team, the event reflected an important part of Veteran mental health in Ottawa: meaningful support can include clinical care, but it also grows through community, trusted relationships and a renewed sense of purpose.
About the Light for Veterans Foundation
Founded in 2024 and based in Orléans, the Light for Veterans Foundation works as a resource hub for Veterans and first responders navigating life after service. Its mission is to connect people with programs, services and practical resources that can support purpose and well-being during this transition.
The Foundation was created by Canadian Armed Forces Veteran Daniel Marsh. His lived experience with PTSD and his participation in peer-led programs helped shape a wider mission: make helpful resources easier to find and ensure smaller, community-based organizations receive greater visibility.
That purpose extends beyond fundraising. Light for Veterans uses events, partnerships and its online resource directory to bring people and organizations into the same conversation.
The 2026 Light for Veterans Charity Golf Tournament
The July tournament marked the Foundation’s third annual Ottawa event. Registration reached capacity before tournament day, reflecting strong interest from the local military, Veteran, first responder and business communities.
The tournament featured a shotgun scramble followed by dinner and an awards presentation. Throughout the day, guests also took part in raffles and an auction while meeting organizations that support people after service. However, its value was not limited to what happened on the course. The event created a welcoming place to reconnect, exchange stories and learn about available resources without requiring a formal first step.
The 2026 tournament aimed to raise $35,000 for two beneficiary organizations: Caddie School for Soldiers and Dimensions Retreats.
Caddie School for Soldiers
Caddie School for Soldiers is an international non-profit organization supporting former military members from Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. Its residential program uses caddie training, routine, teamwork and time outdoors to help participants rebuild confidence, connection and direction.
Not every participant goes on to work as a professional caddie. The broader aim is to create an environment where Veterans can experience camaraderie, develop skills and begin to see new possibilities after service.
Dimensions Retreats
Dimensions Retreats provides residential mental health and wellness programming in Ontario. Light for Veterans describes its approach as holistic and neuroscience-informed, with care led by licensed clinicians for concerns that may include PTSD, anxiety, depression and substance use.
Together, these beneficiaries reflect two complementary ideas: people may need access to professional mental health care, and they may also benefit from programs that rebuild belonging, confidence and purpose.
Why Community Connection Matters After Service
Leaving the military or a first responder career can affect much more than employment. A person may also experience changes in identity, routine, relationships, social connection and their sense of where they belong.
Research from Veterans Affairs Canada recognizes the transition from military to civilian life as an important period of change. Department of National Defence guidance also notes that social ties can weaken during transition, even when former members work to maintain military friendships and community connections.
There is no single experience of life after service. Many people adjust well, while others face challenges related to trauma, mood, sleep, relationships, chronic stress or the loss of a familiar role. Support should therefore remain flexible and personal.
Events like the Light for Veterans Charity Golf Tournament cannot replace therapy, medical care or crisis support. What they can do is reduce isolation, create informal points of connection and make resources more visible. Sometimes, a conversation in a familiar community setting helps someone recognize that support is available.
MindSpa’s Perspective on Military and Veteran Mental Health in Ottawa
At MindSpa, we understand that military members, Veterans and first responders may carry experiences that are difficult to explain outside service culture. Operational stress, repeated exposure to critical incidents, moral injury, grief, sleep disruption and the transition into civilian life can affect people in different ways.
Effective care begins by listening to the individual rather than making assumptions about their experience. It also respects strength and resilience without using those qualities to minimize distress.
MindSpa co-founders Tina Wilston, M.Ed., Registered Psychotherapist, and Michelle Massunken, MSW, RSW, represented MindSpa on the course alongside Dr. Chris Taplin of TMS Life and Cmdre (Ret’d) Hans Jung, OMM, CD, QHP, CStJ, MD, MA, FRCPSC (Hon), former Canadian Armed Forces Surgeon General and Commander of the Canadian Forces Health Services Group.
Michelle, who serves as MindSpa’s Military and First Responder Care Lead, brought an important clinical perspective to the day. MindSpa’s presence also included Director of Neurofeedback Yvonne Burwash, Jordan McNiven and Jasmine, who welcomed golfers at the sponsored hole, shared mental health resources and connected with members of Ottawa’s Veteran and first-responder community.
Together, the group reflected MindSpa’s broader commitment to supporting military members, Veterans and first responders through clinical care, community connection and collaboration with organizations that understand life during and after service.
Their presence reflected the kind of community collaboration that can strengthen awareness and help people navigate different forms of support.
More Than a Day on the Golf Course
The most meaningful moments at community events are often simple ones: an introduction, a shared story, a question asked without pressure or the realization that someone else understands.
Throughout the day, the MindSpa team spoke with Veterans, first responders, organizers and fellow supporters about mental health, resilience and life after service. These conversations reinforced a central truth: care does not exist in isolation. Stronger systems develop when clinicians, peer-led organizations, advocates, families and community partners understand one another’s roles.
That same idea of connected, community-based care was also at the centre of Tina Wilston’s recent conversation with the Ottawa Nurse Practitioner-Led Clinic, where she explored how primary care, mental health and community supports can work together more effectively.
We are grateful to Daniel Marsh and the Light for Veterans team for creating that space. We also thank every golfer, volunteer, beneficiary organization, sponsor and guest who contributed to the day.
Continuing the Conversation in Ottawa
Supporting Veterans and first responders is not a one-day commitment. It requires sustained attention to mental health, family relationships, identity, employment, physical well-being and social connection.
Community events help keep those needs visible. More importantly, they remind people that asking for support does not diminish service, strength or capability.
MindSpa Mental Health Centre provides trauma-informed mental health services for military members, Veterans and first responders. Support is available in person at our Kanata and Gloucester locations, including services related to PTSD, trauma, anxiety, chronic stress, sleep, relationships and transition to civilian life. Virtual services are also available where appropriate.
If you would like to explore support, contact MindSpa to learn about available clinicians and services. You can also visit the Light for Veterans Foundation to discover community programs and resources for Veterans and first responders.
Support can begin with one conversation.