WHAT: URI’s 2021 Be 5K Walk/Run for Mental Health Awareness, Suicide Prevention to be held in-person Oct. 23. After last year’s virtual event, participants will walk and run on Kingston Campus in the 13th annual event. Proceeds raised by the event go to the Heather Fund, a URI Foundation & Alumni Engagement fund established to support mental health programs for students. It was established by the late Roger and Josephine Vennewald in 1996, on behalf of their daughter, Heather, a URI student, who they lost to suicide. The event is called the Be 5K because it urges participants and the URI community to be compassionate, loving, hopeful, aware, present, happy and to be themselves to build a healthier community. It is the oldest community outreach event on campus dedicated to mental health promotion and suicide prevention.

WHO: Students, faculty, staff and community members. As in past years, URI student groups focused on mental health promotion will participate, as well as those from URI’s Counseling Center, Health Services, College of Nursing, Campus Recreation, Center for Career and Experiential Education, and the Psychological Consultation Center.

“We were thrilled with the participation last year, as people ran and walked on their own,” said Amy Albert, URI community engagement coordinator at URI’s Center for Career and Experiential Learning. “But we are so excited to come together again as a community for this dynamic and profound event. Similar to our events prior to the pandemic, we will have T-shirts, music, food and prizes for our top runners and walkers.

WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 23. Walk/race starts at 10 a.m. Walk-up registration opens at 8:30 a.m.

WHERE: Kingston Campus Quadrangle, race starts in front of Ranger Hall

TO COVER THE EVENT: Contact Dave Lavallee, URI Marketing and Communications, 401-874-5862, cell, 401-465-4291, dlavallee@uri.edu.