{"id":110791,"date":"2026-09-16T16:38:05","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T16:38:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/?p=110791"},"modified":"2026-09-16T16:38:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T16:38:06","slug":"uris-be-5k-walk-run-for-mental-health-awareness-and-suicide-prevention-set-for-oct-17","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/2026\/09\/uris-be-5k-walk-run-for-mental-health-awareness-and-suicide-prevention-set-for-oct-17\/","title":{"rendered":"URI\u2019s Be 5K Walk\/Run for Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention set for Oct. 17"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 Sept. 16, 2026 \u2013 The University of Rhode Island will host its 18th annual Be 5K Walk\/Run for Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention on Saturday, Oct. 17<\/strong>, on URI\u2019s Kingston Campus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The race, which is open to the public, will benefit URI\u2019s Heather Fund<\/a>, which supports services and outreach programs focused on the treatment of depression and prevention of suicide within the URI community. The fund was created by Josephine and Roger Vennewald in memory of their daughter Heather, a senior at URI who died by suicide in 1996.<\/p>\n\n\n

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The 18th annual run\/walk promotes mental health awareness and is open to the public. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Registration is now open<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anthropology Professor Holly Dunsworth is one URI community member who will be there. Dunsworth first became involved with the Be 5K to encourage her students to do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEvery fall I urge my students in APG 201 to sign up to walk or run it, and I promise to take anyone who beats me, and their friends, out to dinner,\u201d she said. \u201cNot only is it a great morning to run and to feel that numinous feeling that comes from doing hard things for lovely reasons with other people, but doing a 5K leads to more doing anything and everything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

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Pets are welcome!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This year Dunsworth hopes to beat her time from last year. \u201cIt’s been really fun to get ready for, and I have all those who ran in previous years to thank for the inspiration and motivation!\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All 5K proceeds go toward the Heather Fund which supports mental health initiatives on the URI campus. Last year\u2019s 2025 Be 5K drew close to 300 participants, the largest number yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The URI Counseling Center relies on a number of volunteers who turn out annually to help, including URI\u2019s Center for Career and Experiential Education and alumnus Andy Lavallee \u201918 who donates his time as DJ and emcee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWithout our volunteers, this event would not be possible,\u201d said Catherine Calise in the Counseling Center. \u201cWe are lucky to have a number of community members who volunteer their time to help with this event.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Honoring Heather<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n

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The Be 5K walk\/run raises contributions for the Heather Fund, which supports services and outreach programs focused on mental health at URI. (URI Photo \/ Counseling Center)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

This year\u2019s 5K marks the 30th anniversary of Vennewald’s passing; many of her family members will be in attendance as well as her college roommates, a consistent presence at URI\u2019s Be 5K over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since its founding, the Heather Fund has supported a range of campus initiatives, including the IMALIVE Mental Health Fair, Fresh Check Day, Out and Proud at URI, and other mental health programs. It has also funded updates to the Counseling Center waiting room, including the addition of artwork designed to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

URI 5K partners, and other sponsors and organizations, will be present on the Quad providing information and resources. The Counseling Center invites many on- and off-campus organizations to the event such as mental health private practices, Butler Hospital, the URI Physical Therapy Department, URI Health Promotion\/Health Services, URI Collegiate Recovery Program, and more. URI Dining Services and Dave\u2019s Marketplace generously donated water and snacks for participants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants may register for the 5K in advance at https:\/\/runsignup.com\/Race\/RI\/Kingston\/URIBe5K<\/a> or at 8:30 a.m. the day of the race. The cost for URI students, faculty and staff, veterans or military, and those ages 55 and up is $15. The cost for the general public is $20. The walk\/run will start at 10 a.m. on the URI Quad. The event is rain or shine. In the event of rain, resource tables, activities, snacks and water will be held in URI\u2019s Higgins Welcome Center.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone wishing to donate to the Heather Fund can send a check made out to URI Foundation with Heather Fund in the memo line and mail to: the Heather Fund, c\/o the URI Foundation, 79 Upper College Road, Kingston, R.I., 02881 or by donating online at the Heather Fund<\/a> at URI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

URI offers on- and off-campus resources and support for those who are struggling and free, confidential mental health and well-being support to URI students; see <\/em>uri.edu\/counseling\/ <\/em><\/a> or call 401-874-2288. The 988 Lifeline is a national network of local crisis centers that provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Call 988 or visit <\/em>988lifeline.org<\/em><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

KINGSTON, R.I. \u2013 Sept. 16, 2026 \u2013 The University of Rhode Island will host its 18th annual Be 5K Walk\/Run for Mental Health Awareness and Suicide Prevention on Saturday, Oct. 17, on URI\u2019s Kingston Campus. The race, which is open to the public, will benefit URI\u2019s Heather Fund, which supports services and outreach programs focused […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":25,"featured_media":110792,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[1914,1903,1913,1902,1915],"class_list":["post-110791","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-archives","tag-graduate","tag-health-and-wellness","tag-public-engagement","tag-student-engagement","tag-undergraduate"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110791","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/25"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=110791"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110791\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":110799,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/110791\/revisions\/110799"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/110792"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=110791"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=110791"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=110791"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}