Trina (left) and Kim (right) Tymko announce their donation to Lethbridge Family Services. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko

Significant donation to reduce youth counselling wait times at Lethbridge Family Services

Jan 28, 2022 | 1:47 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A local family has made a large contribution that they hope will help families to get the care they need sooner.

While Trina and Kim Tymko did not wish to disclose the exact amount, they say their donation was in the range of “tens of thousands” of dollars.

As long-time volunteers with Lethbridge Family Services (LFS), they knew how great the need was for timely access to counselling services, particularly for youths.

“Through my volunteering and our family’s volunteering with Lethbridge Family Services, we have heard the need in the community and the waitlist that currently are, not just in our city, but in our province, is completely unacceptable that people do not have quick access to mental health care,” says Trina Tymko.

When a person is having a mental breakdown, she says she knows how difficult even asking for help can be, but when they are then told they might have to wait weeks or even months before being connected to a counsellor, it can be quite discouraging.

Nighttime construction on Hwy 3 in Lethbridge starts April 17

Apr 17, 2025

SASHA launches #BuyABed fundraiser to support vulnerable Lethbridge residents

Apr 04, 2025

$20K grants available: TELUS STORYHIVE Pan-Asian Edition opens applications April 1

Mar 18, 2025

Director of Counselling, Outreach, and Education at LFS Lisa Lewis says the money will go towards their counselling programs for children and youth.

They will look to hire new staff and purchase play items that are used in directive and non-directive play therapy.

“This donation that the Tymko family has provided us will go towards our children and youth program that will support those kids and families that need counseling that are reaching out, they want the help, they need the help, and they are, you know, they’re heartbroken, they’re desperate. They’re grateful for any kind of services that we can provide them and we’re here for them, but our waitlists are long and our other community services supporters, they’re there for them too, but again, they’re struggling as well.”

This will certainly be a relief to not only LFS employees and volunteers, but for those seeking help.

Last year, LFS’ counselling, outreach, and education department served about 1,700 people in Lethbridge and the surrounding areas, spanning mental health, sexual and non-sexual violence, complicated bereavement, and more.

Lewis says the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the situation as more people are feeling isolated, depressed, and anxious. In some circumstances, this can lead to worsened family living situations.

“The pandemic with the fatigue that people are feeling now, the mental health fatigue that they’re feeling, the physical fatigue that they’re feeling, they just can’t contain or manage the way they’ve been able to manage their psychological health in the past, so now all those coping strategies or those resources that were once available to them, they’re no longer available to them because of the fatigue, you know, the tiredness, the exhaustion that the pandemic has – that we’ve all experienced.”

Between January 2021 and January 2022, the number of people applying for counselling at LFS has doubled.

The Tymko family made a similar donation towards the end of 2019 but did so quietly. This time around, they are hoping that their generosity will inspire others to come forward and give back as well.

You can learn more about Lethbridge Family Services and the supports they offer here.

Albertans experiencing mental health crises can phone the Mental Health Help Line for free 24/7 at 877-303-2642. Kids Help Phone can be reached by calling 1-800-668-6868 or by sending a text message to 686868.

For local news delivered daily to your email inbox, subscribe for free to the Lethbridge News Now newsletter here. You can also download the Lethbridge News Now mobile app in the Google Play and the Apple App Stores.