Peace River Center’s Virtual Run “Recovery is a Marathon, Not a Sprint” Promotes Awareness and Raises Funds for Mental Illness Recovery
Peace River Center (PRC), a nonprofit behavioral health organization serving Polk, Hardee, and Highlands Counties is holding its second Recovery is a Marathon, Not a Sprint fundraiser. This virtual event is hosted during September, national Mental Health Recovery month, to create support and awareness around individuals walking in recovery of a mental illness. Launched in 2020, the virtual run, which is sponsored by Recovery Partners Dixie Southern Industrial, Inc. and CPS Investment Advisors, offers individuals an opportunity to show their support for mental illness, boost their mental health by getting active, and share their stories.
“We were so impressed by the amount of engagement in the run’s Facebook group last year,” said Ileana Kniss Director of Community Relations and Development at PRC. “In a time when people were feeling isolated and experiencing more mental health challenges due to the pandemic, it provided a space to share and encourage one another.” Kniss aims to grow that encouraging community this year and help educate and engage even more people about mental illness and recovery.
“Stigma is still such a barrier for people accessing mental health services. That’s why we launch awareness programs like Make It OK and the Virtual Marathon. Our goal is to educate, encourage, and connect individuals to resources so they can thrive,” said Kniss.
Participants track their miles and share updates to the PRC Virtual Run Facebook group and their social media channels throughout September. The goal is to run or walk 26.2 miles by the end of the month. Whether participants complete their miles in one day or little by little, their support and help to make others aware of Recovery Month is what matters most said Kniss.
Registration ranges from $20 to $50 with higher-level registrants receiving a dry-tech t-shirt and finisher medal. Sponsorships are also available from $100 to $1,000. For more information or to sign-up for PRC’s Recovery is a Marathon, Not a Sprint virtual run, visit www.PeaceRiverCenter.org/RecoveryRun.
About Peace River Center
Peace River Center is a licensed and accredited, non-profit provider of mental health, substance use, and integrated medical services serving Polk, Highlands, and Hardee counties. Peace River Center provides options for people struggling with mental health and addiction, for children and adults coping with the trauma of abuse and violence, crisis intervention for people in acute need, and housing and community support and integration for people affected by domestic violence or whose recovery requires more support and time. Peace River Center offers inpatient, outpatient, home-, school- and community-based services, telehealth, and mobile programs to individuals, groups, and families. Peace River Center’s dedicated and compassionate staff of more than 400 operate 36 programs out of 27 locations and provide 24/7 emergency psychiatric response services to the community through our mobile psychiatric Crisis Response Team. In FY2020, Peace River Center had contact with and provided services to more than 21,500 children, adolescents, adults, and seniors. For more information visit www.PeaceRiverCenter.org.
