ONTARIO — Richland County’s first NAMIWalks event will have something for everyone.
NAMIWalks will consist of a 5K, walk and family fun fair on Saturday. The event will take place at the lower level of Marshall Park, near the soccer fields. Registration opens at 8 a.m. The 5K and walk beings at 9 a.m. and the family fun day begins at 9:30 and runs until 12:30 p.m.
NAMI, which stands for the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization.
Aubrie Hall, executive director of NAMI Richland County, said the family fun fair will include a DJ, balloon animals, face painting, bounce house, yard games, food trucks, a dunk tank and more.
Hall said NAMI will also have resources available at the event and invite people to share their mental-health stories.
“I really want this walk to be fun and informative,” she said. “It’s all about how we support each other and our community.
“The overarching goal is to create awareness that mental health is just as important as physical health — that holistic approach. It’s all about making sure you take care of yourselves because you can’t pour from an empty cup.”
Registration for the 5K and walk is open until the event begins, though preregistration is preferred. The walk is free; registration for the 5K is $50.
Any funds raised above the cost of the event support NAMI’s free programs and outreach efforts for Richland County residents living with mental illnesses.
“NAMI is a non-profit and everything we do is completely free to people,” Hall said.
“I think mental health is something that’s not talked about enough,” Hall added. “People are more open to talking about it, but I don’t think individuals are aware of how many resources we have in the community.
NAMIWalks is the largest fundraiser for local affiliates of the non-profit, with more than 60 local chapters hosting awareness walks each year.
This will be the first NAMIWalks in Richland County, but Hall said she hopes to make it an annual event.
“We have enough individuals who need services and we want to have multiple funding streams that aren’t just the Richland County Mental Health and Recovery Services board, or the state budget,” she said.
NAMI Richland County connects community members to local resources and professional support, offers support groupsand provides programming in workspaces and schools. Classes are also available for individuals with mental-health conditions, their families and caregivers of youth experiencing mental health symptoms.
NAMI Ending the Silence is a mental-health education program for middle- and high-school students.
The free, evidence-based presentation encourages students to take care of themselves and each other.
It also focuses on warning signs for mental illness, the importance of good mental health and suicide prevention and equips teens with practical ways to help their peers, according to NAMI’s website.
Those who aren’t able to attend the May 31 walk can donate at namiwalks.org/richlandcounty.
