Runners put on their best boots and running shoes to compete in Saturday’s Extra Tough 5K & 1-Mile Fun Run at the Riverbend Elementary covered playground.
The second annual race was a fundraiser for the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Juneau. Funds raised are for local programs, including free family education classes and support groups for individuals and families affected by mental illness.
The first full week of October marks National Mental Illness Awareness Week. NAMI Juneau and similar organizations across the country are raising awareness and encouraging everyone to learn the signs of mental illness and the conditions that affect tens of millions of Americans.
According to a press release from NAMI Juneau’s Crystal Bourland, one in five adults in the U.S. experiences a mental health condition in any given year and less than one-half of those who need mental health services actually receive them.
For more information about NAMI Juneau and their programs visit www.namijuneau.org or call 463-4251.
