Support mental health counseling via Bigger Than The Trail

By Henry Howard

There has been an increase in public awareness of mental health issues in the past several years. Every step toward shining a light on these issues is progress toward eliminating the stigma.

I am proud of the small role I play as an ambassador with Bigger Than The Trail (BTTT). And next weekend, Team BTTT holds its annual awareness and fundraising drive in the form of its Block Party event. The timing is appropriate, given that the month of May is Mental Health Month, which was first observed in 1949.

Bigger Than The Trail is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that is using trail running as a platform to advocate for mental health. It boosts awareness about mental health and also raises funds that go toward funding counseling for those who cannot afford it.

The work that BTTT does is dependent on fundraising. (Support my fundraising efforts by making a contribution here.) I’ve been inspired by seeing its growth in the past several years. Here are some indicators of its success, by the numbers:

• 72: Average number of individuals Team BTTT is now helping monthly by covering their mental health counseling.

• 218: Hours of counseling created during the first three months of 2022.

• 250: Percentage growth year over year.

This year, BTTT’s third annual Block Party is virtual again, as well as adding in-person events in Wisconsin and Colorado. I’d love to participate in one of those but will be doing my miles virtually — on a trail, of course. The events run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, May 21.

Please support my miles on Saturday with a kind contribution via Facebook to support BTTT at my fundraising page. If you don’t use Facebook or would like to arrange for a different method of donating, feel free to contact me here.

Thank you for considering!