In support of mental health and suicide prevention, the 11th Annual Thumbs Up 5K and 10K Run/Walk/Bike event sponsored by First Bank Elk River will take place on Saturday, Sept. 21, at Lake Orono Park in Elk River. This event raises money and awareness to help families, friends, and loved ones who have lost someone to suicide.
The event runs from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., and in addition to the 5K and 10K run/walk/bike, there will be numerous activities and spaces where friends and family can share their support for a loved one or themselves who may be struggling with mental illness.
In addition, this year’s keynote speaker is Emmy Award-winning meteorologist Ken Barlow from KSTP-TV. Barlow is a past member of the Boys and Girls Club of the Twin Cities Boards of Directors and Trustees.
He also works with the University of Minnesota Medical School as an invited lecturer, Life Source MN, Allina Health, Park Nicollet Foundation, BringChange2Mind, among others. Barlow has been awarded the Paul Wellstone Advocacy Award from the Minnesota Psychiatric Society, and he serves on the International Bipolar Foundation’s Advisory Board.
He recently served on the National Alliance on Mental Illness Board of Directors. He also served on the Minnesota Mental Health Community Foundation Board of Directors, and the Children’s Mental Health with the Park Nicollet Foundation Steering Committee. Registration for the Thumbs Up 5K and 10K event is open now. The registration link, along with more information on the event and the organization, can be found at thumbsupformentalhealth.org.
About Thumbs Up
Thumbs Up was founded in 2014 by several community members to honor Bob Schmit and Chuck Dahlheimer, who took their own lives after living in silence with mental illness. The organization has raised over $1 million to put towards educating and teaching others through community awareness initiatives about mental illness, the warning signs of suicide, and what to do to help others who struggle.
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