Valley County C.A.R.E.s About You

On June 15, the Valley County C.A.R.E. Coalition ran their annual Mental Health Walk at the Valley Event Center (VEC) with featured speaker Rick Stahl. Stahl spoke on the death of his son, Russell, who died by suicide in 1995. With the alarming rise in suicides, both state-wide and locally, the Coalition led by Mary Hughes and Katrena Palmer walked from the VEC to Hoyt Park bringing awareness to mental health issues such as depression, addiction, and more.

Stahl's heartbreaking speech memorialized Russell, who was a talented mechanic. Russell found his passion working on and refurbishing classic vehicles, one of which his father drove in front of the crowd Thursday. The truck Stahl drove was Russell's final project, which he never had the opportunity to finish. Stahl commented that he decided to complete the restoration in Russell's stead, resurrecting a beautiful, red, 1964 Chevrolet C10. The Chevy for Stahl is a reminder of his son and what he loved to do. Russell, 28 years on, still is missed.

After arriving at Hoyt Park the crowd enjoyed socializing with like minded advocates, as well as snacks, sandwiches and activities. This year's Mental Health Walk was a great success helping change the way that we, the residents of Valley County, look at mental health, as well as furthering their goal of removing the stigma of discussions surrounding the topic.

If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts call or text the National Suicide Prevention Help Line at: 988.