(May 11, 2024) On a sunny and beautiful morning, participants of all ages gathered on the Gandy Dancer Trail for Stepping Up for Mental Health. The event, co-hosted by the Mental Health Task Force of Polk County and Friends of Gandy Dancer State Trail, brought the community together for a self-guided hike along the Gandy Dancer with activities to boost your mental wellbeing along the way.

Held in celebration of Mental Health Awareness Month, Stepping Up included 16 community partners leading activities and sharing resources. Participants could try their hand at gardening or birding, be led through interval running or mindful breathing techniques for kids, try riding an electric tricycle or bike the trail, do hands-on nature and art activities, all while learning about local mental health resources. “There are so many ways to be active in the area,” said Debbie Nowak, Friends of Gandy Dancer volunteer, “Keeping your body active, whether that is birding, riding a bike, or just a walk around the block, is a great way to give yourself a boost. I enjoyed seeing how many people came out to learn about these activities.”

Participants were invited to play “Stepping Up for Mental Health Bingo” to be entered in a prize drawing. The bingo cards encouraged participants to try out new activities and explore all the event had to offer.

“I was impressed with the high level of engagement by participants!” said Stephanie Lundeen, Friends of Gandy Dancer board member, “Everyone there was genuinely interested in learning what each organization had to offer, and I was equally impressed with each organization offering an activity that encouraged participants to think about how being in nature is therapeutic for the mind and body.”

The trail was flanked with mental health-themed artwork from local students and lawn signs depicting positive mental health messages and resources from the Mental Health Task Force. The event created an environment for open conversations about mental health and each partner organization connected their resources and activities back to its role in improving overall mental and physical wellbeing.

“Events like this are so important not just to connect people to local resources, but because they help to reduce the stigma around mental health by encouraging honest conversations and showing people that they are not alone,” said Mental Health Task Force Director Lisa Murphy, “One of the top reasons people report that they don’t reach out for help when they need it is because they’re afraid of what people will think. That is the power of stigma, and that’s why it’s so important to keep working to break down that stigma.”

To see more event photos, check out our album on Facebook.

Full list of participating organizations:

  • Aging & Disability Center of Northwest Wisconsin
  • Endeavors Adult Development Center
  • Friends of Gandy Dancer State Trail
  • Friends of Interstate & Straight Lake Parks
  • Gandy Dancer Marathon & Brightside Running
  • HealthPartners PowerUp & Make It OK
  • Ice Age Trail Alliance
  • Kate’s Coffee Koop
  • Mental Health Task Force of Polk County
  • Northwest Passage
  • Osceola School District
  • Polk County Community Services Division
  • Polk County Head Start
  • Polk County Parks & Trails
  • Riverwood Nature Center