Itasca Country Club hosts Family Fun Walk for Mental Health Oct. 20
In partnership with a pair of local organizations, the Itasca Country Club is hosting a fundraising event in support of mental health treatment on Sunday, Oct. 20.
The ICC 2.62 Family Fun Walk for Mental Health begins at noon at the club, 400 E. Orchard St.
Dedicated to raising money and awareness of mental health as a significant priority within the community, the inaugural event benefits Amita Health mental health programs and facilities supported by the Alexian Brothers Foundation.
The course is a 2.62-mile "mini-marathon" - a variation on the traditional 26.2-mile marathon distance. The event is not competitive, instead focusing on a family-friendly atmosphere that emphasizes the interplay between physical, mental, and emotional health.
The registration fee is $50 per person, with free admission for children under age 12.
Participants can begin checking in at 11 a.m. and the event will include tasty snacks sponsored by Fox & Turtle, craft beer samples from local Itasca breweries, hot dogs, a hole-in-one challenge, bounce house, obstacle course, a T-shirt and event medal for each participant, a swag bag and more.
Activities will be designed to take people throughout the club's beautiful private golf course.
Funds will help provide essential mental health, depression, anxiety, eating disorder and suicide prevention programs as well as critical updates to the Amita Health facility in Hoffman Estates.
Mental illness takes on various forms, including anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorder, school avoidance, post-traumatic stress disorder, and depression.
Over the course of a typical year, one in five adults in the United States experiences mental illness. And about 21 percent of 13- to 18-year-olds will experience severe mental illness at some point in their lives. Both statistics, which are according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, underscore the prevalence of the health issue.
It is a concern that "cuts across gender, race, socio-economic level, and any other categorization you might imagine," said Leeann Repta, general manager of the Itasca Country Club.
For club team members, there is an especially personal connection that helps spur on its advocacy.
"We lost a dear friend and team member last year, and this is one way to honor his life," Repta said. "Mental illness has been stigmatized for far too long in our society, but there has been great progress in removing that stigma. We want to encourage more people to know they are not alone and to get the help they need."
Clayton Ciha, president and CEO of the Amita Health Alexian Brothers Behavioral Health Hospital in Hoffman Estates, expressed gratitude for the club's support.
"Their generosity will help us expand our behavioral health hospital and provide many more people with access to the best treatments available in the best environment from the Chicago area's leaders in behavioral medicine," Ciha said. "This effort to increase community support is bringing us closer to achieving our vision of expanding access to behavioral health care for all those in need."
Melissa Shane, director of development and philanthropy at the Alexian Brothers Foundation, noted that "every family is touched by behavioral health."
"We are thrilled to highlight the need for increased awareness and support for our programming," Shane said. "Every dollar raised makes a difference in the lives of our patients."
Sponsorship opportunities are still available.
For those considering sponsorship or if you have any other questions about the event, contact Jason Kroese at (630) 361-8050 or Jason@ItascaCountryClub.com.
For registration or information, visit www.itascacountryclub.com/familyfunwalk.