Thumbs Up – Supporting Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Orono Park in Elk River

Supporting Mental Health and Suicide Prevention

Orono Park in Elk River 

Saturday, September 21st, 2024

• 7:00 am – 8:30 am: Pre-Registered Packet Pickup & Same-Day Registration
• 8:00 am – 8:20 am: Yoga on the Beach with Tanya at Azitala Yoga
• 9:00 am: Opening Ceremony & Keynote Speaker
• 9:45 am: Stretching by Luke Smith from SNAP Fitness
• 10:15 am: Races Begin

• 10:15 am – 5K & 10K Bike

• 10:20 am – 5K & 10K Run

• 10:30 am – 5K Walk

• 11:00 am: Kids Activities, Other Festivities, & Food Trucks
• 12:00 pm: Remembrance Ceremony
• 12:30 pm: Kids Kindness Bingo
• 2:00 pm: End of event

Directions & Parking Information

• Event Location: Lake Orono Park – 18599 Gary Street, Elk River, MN 55330
• Please plan on parking at the Sherburne County Fairground Parking Lot: 18335 Joplin St NW, Elk River, MN 55330
• Parking is free/no-charge
• Please try to carpool if you are able!

Kids Activities

• Obstacle Course (ages 3-12) – Children age 2 & under are free
• Bounce Houses (separate for preschool ages)
• Art Lab Rx
• Crazy Hair
• Face Painting
• Kindness Rocks by Plaisted Companies
• Mindfulness by Ms. Liz
• Balloon Animals by Son-Light Balloon Entertainment
• Playground area
• Splash Pad (weather dependent)
• Skate Park

Food Trucks & Beverages

• Food Trucks Available On-Site: Batter Up, Mama’s Taco Truck, Adventure Bowls, & D&D Goodies
• Complimentary coffee from Dunn Brothers Elk River
• Water Stations along the route presented by LIFT PT, the U14 & U15 Girls Softball Team, & Target Corporation

Activities & More Info

• Register by September 1st, 2024 to be guaranteed a participant t-shirt with your registration fee
• Bring a photo of your loved one for the Memory Tree
• Grief Support & Bereavement Memorial Area
• Mental Health & Wellness Vendors On-Site
• Veteran Memorial Area sponsored by Hannay Electric 🇺🇸
• Dress for the weather
• Friendly dogs are welcome at the event. Dogs must be on a leash at all times. Please clean up after your pets.

THE THUMBS UP MOVEMENT

THUMBS UP was founded in 2014 by several community members in honor of two great men, Bob Schmit and Chuck Dahlheimer, who, like many others, took their lives after living in silence from a mental illness. THUMBS UP is all about EMBRACING those struggling and breaking the stigma around mental health, connecting, supporting, and encouraging one another to talk about their feelings and challenges and to “KEEP MOVING FORWARD.” We are dedicated to educating and teaching about mental illness, the warning signs of suicide, what you can do to help others who struggle, and community awareness initiatives. So let’s UNITE to help others to KEEP MOVING FORWARD.

MISSION STATEMENT

“Bringing awareness to mental health and providing support and resources to all.” 

MISSION

• Help promote wellness and positive living for people through awareness and early education programs.
• Encourage people to be open, engage in conversation, and be vulnerable.
• Connect people to support services in the area.
• Create a movement with a brand that makes mental health relatable; people can build a relationship with it.