Centerstone’s Life;Story 5K to raise funds and awareness for suicide prevention

Centerstone, a national leader in behavioral health care, will host its inaugural Illinois Life;Story 5K walk/run for suicide awareness and prevention on Saturday, September 9 at Harry L. Crisp Sports Complex on South Carbon Street in Marion, Illinois.

There will also be a virtual component to the Life;Story 5K where participants can run or walk anytime, anywhere from September 1 through the early morning of September 9.

“Life;Story is more than a 5K race; it is a rallying cry to everyone that we all can and should help those affected by suicide. It is an opportunity for each of us to show our support, start conversations, break down barriers, build support systems, and step up for each person affected by suicide,” said Anne Tyree, Centerstone’s Regional CEO.

To register or for more information, visit centerstonelifestory.org. Registration fees start at $35 and include a commemorative t-shirt and finisher medal. Participants can register as a single runner, start their own team, or join an existing team. August 15 is the deadline to register teams of 15 or more participants in order to get the team name printed on the shirt sleeve of the Life;Story commemorative t-shirt.

“All registration fees will help provide mental health and addiction services at Centerstone for people with little or no resources,” Tyree said.

The Life;Story name includes a semicolon which is a punctuation mark that indicates there is more to come, unlike a period indicating the end.

“Like the semicolon in Life;Story, your participation will remind our community that there’s more to every life; there is more to every story,” said Tyree.

The Life;Story event begins at 7:15 a.m. with the opening ceremony. The 5K walk/run starts at 7:30 a.m. The event will conclude with a presentation featuring Christine Snyder, a local mother impacted by suicide and advocate for mental health. Also concluding the event will be the awards ceremony which will not only recognize the top finishers of the 5K, but also the recipient of the inaugural Life;Story Champion Award. This award will go to an Illinoisan who has positively impacted mental health in their community. Nominations are being accepted for this award until 4 p.m. on July 21. If you would like to nominate someone for the Centerstone Life;Story Champion Award in Illinois, visit surveymonkey.com/r/23champion.

Life;Story will also include a health and wellness expo that will occur from 7 – 10 a.m. There will be no charge to attend the expo and everyone is welcome. Vendors can register for the expo by contacting Centerstone’s Director of Advancement Erin Camfield at erin.camfield@centerstone.org or (618) 521-0243. The cost to participate as a vendor in the expo is $50 for nonprofit wellness organizations or $100 for commercial wellness companies.

Centerstone has hosted the Life;Story run/walk for more than 20 years in Florida. In 2022, Life;Story raised more than $75,000 and included more than 775 participants from 17 states and Puerto Rico.

 About Centerstone
Centerstone is a nonprofit health system specializing in mental health and substance use disorder treatments for people of all ages. Services are available in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, North Carolina, and Tennessee through the operation of outpatient clinics, residential programs, school-based services, telehealth, and an inpatient hospital. Centerstone also offers specialized programs available nationwide for the military community, as well as services for children, including therapeutic foster care. Centerstone’s Institute for Clinical Excellence and Innovation provides guidance through research and technology, leveraging the best evidence-based practices for use across our communities. Centerstone’s Foundation secures philanthropic resources to support the work and mission of delivering care that changes people’s lives. Learn more by visiting Centerstone.org.

For more information or to set-up an interview, please reach out to mediainquiries@centerstone.org.