3rd Annual STAY; Your Story's Not Over 5K Walk/Run 2026

Description

WE NEED YOUR HELP! If you're interested in volunteering, please visit www.berriencares.org to sign up!

STAY; Your Story’s Not Over is being held on Saturday, September 19, 2026, in the Village of Baroda, MI. Please bring your family and join us for the run/walk event as we work together to raise awareness. The BCSPC is striving to connect the community of Berrien County to the information and resources they need for emotional wellness, thereby helping prevent suicide.

Death by suicide occurs every 11 minutes nationally leading to over 49,000 deaths in 2022 with over 1,500 of those being in the state of Michigan. In Berrien County we had 29 suicide deaths in 2023, an increase from 21 in 2019. Of the 29 losses in our county, 20 of them were males (9 female) and the ages of 26-44 had 12.

What is the Berrien County Suicide Prevention Coalition (BCSPC)? In December 2012, twenty-two concerned citizens met over lunch to discuss the need for suicide prevention in Berrien County and what could be done. Since that time, the involvement of many primary interest groups in the community such as Riverwood, Lakeland HealthCare, Berrien County Health Department, Berrien RESA, and others has been gained.​ As of the summer of 2014, the group officially became an advisory committee of Berrien County Mental Health Authority (Riverwood) and can receive tax-deductible contributions.

Meetings are open to the public. They are normally held virtually on the third Thursday of the month from noon to 1 pm.