The Raise Your Voice Club (RYV Club) at Merrill High School (MHS), along with Tyler’s Playground and the National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) Northwoods (NAMI Northwoods), will hold their Second Annual “Raise Your Voice for Mental Health!” Walk on Sunday, May 1, 2022.
This year’s event will be held at the Merrill Area Recreation Complex (MARC) and will begin with registration at 11:30 a.m. and food, face painting, yard games and other activities, an art station, music, and silent auctions which will end at 2:00 p.m. The walk itself will begin at 1:00 p.m. and walkers can choose from a long or a short walking route.
Participants can register to walk as an individual, with their family, or as an organization. Cost is $20 for each individual adult and $10 for individual youth, or $50 per family of up to 4 members or $75 per family of up to 8 members. Registration is required online at: https://12vt0rya.paperform.co/
While early registration was requested to guarantee shirts and sizes, some shirts are still available and will be given to participants on a first-come first-serve basis according to availability.
Donations will also be accepted. Advance donations can be mailed to: Extension Lincoln County, ATTN: RYV Mental Health Walk, 801 N. Sales St. Suite 101, Merrill, WI 54452, and checks should be made payable to: Extension Lincoln County. Please notate on the check that the donation is for the Mental Health Awareness Walk. All advance donors will be included on a banner at the walk.
The RYV Club is a student-run organization at MHS with the goal to end the stigma around mental health, advocate for change, share resources, and support others.
First annual event a success
The First Annual “Raise Your Voice for Mental Health!” Walk was held on Sunday, May 2, 2021, with 240 individuals participating. The community and local businesses and organizations, along with many individuals, supported the walk with donated items for the silent auction, advertising, monetary donations, and/or items for the participant bags. Due to the tremendous support of the community, the walk raised $6,200. Half of the funds raised in 2021 were donated to NAMI Northwoods. The other half was designated to fund improvements at Tyler’s Playground, a play area along the River Bend Trail dedicated to Tyler Holbach, who died by suicide on Dec. 29, 2017, at age 20. Both organizations support the RYV Club mission and work to make change in the area of mental health.
Help prevent suicide
In 2020, 861 Wisconsin residents died by suicide.
If suicide ever crosses your mind, just know people would rather listen to your story than attend your funeral.
If you can’t find a friend or family member who will listen, there are many resources available!
• Call the Lincoln County Crisis Line at one of these numbers: 715.845.4326 or 800.799.0122 or 715.848.4600
• Call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline (available 24 hours a day in English and Spanish): 800.273.TALK (8255)
• Text HOPELINE to 741741 — from anywhere, anytime, about any type of challenge or struggle. Help and hope is just a text away.™ A live, trained crisis counselor receives the text and responds quickly.
• Go to https://safespace.vibrant.org/ and start a chat.
• You can also call 911 and ask for help.
Did you know?
988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code that will route callers to the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline. While some areas may be currently able to connect to the Lifeline by dialing 988, this dialing code will be available to everyone across the United States starting on July 16, 2022.