Hundreds gather to raise mental health awareness in Orlando
I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT AN ANNUAL TRADITION AIMED AT MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TODAY…
I WANT TO TELL YOU ABOUT AN ANNUAL TRADITION AIMED AT MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS TODAY HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE GATHERED FOR NAMI WALKS AT CRANESWO’S PARK IN ALTAMONTE SPRINGS. AND AS OUR TONY ATKINS REPORTS THIS ORGANIZATION IS CLOSING IN ON ONE KEY FUNDRAISING GOAL. A GREAT TURNOUT FOR A GREAT CAUSE SATURDAY NEARLY 1,000 PEOPLE GATHERED IN ALTAMONTE SPRINGS FOR NAMI WALKS. IT’S ONE OF THE COUNTRIES THE LARGEST MENTAL HEALTH FUNDRAISERS HERE IN THE PARK WEST. TWO’S CHRISTINA WATKINS HOSTED THE EVENT PEOPLE AT THE WALK SAY THEY’RE SEEING PROGRESS IN THE CAUSE. NEEDED IT BEFORE BUT I’M FINDING A LOT MORE HELP NOW YEARS AGO. I MEAN THIS WASN’T A THING LIKE YOU SAID AND EVERYONE JUST KIND OF THEY ALMOST SHONDA MENTAL HEALTH ISSUE. AND SO NOW WHAT’S YOU KNOW, IT’S REALLY OUT ON THE OPEN PEOPLE ARE MORE ACCEPTING OF IT. WHEREAS IN THE PAST JUST KIND OF SOMETHING. HE DIDN’T REALLY WANT TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW LAST YEAR NAMI GREATER. ORLANDO SAYS IT RAISED ENOUGH MONEY TO HELP SIXTEEN THOUSAND PEOPLE GET MENTAL HEALTH CARE FREE OF CHARGE THIS YEAR. THEY’RE CLOSING IN ON A 200,000 GOAL BEFORE THE WALK BEGIN A NUMBER OF LEADERS HERE IN CENTRAL, FLORIDA SPOKE UP ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS MASS GATHERING FOR A GOOD CAUSE PEOPLE LIKE SEMINOLE COUNTY SHERIFF DENNIS LIMA AND ORANGE COUNTY MAYOR. JERRY DEMINGS CAME OUT THE SHOW OF SUPPORT. APPRECIATE IT BY NAMI GREATER ORLANDO. IT REALLY SHOWS THAT THE STIGMA, YOU KNOW, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IN STOMPING IT OUT AS WE LIKE TO SAY, YOU KNOW, WE’VE MADE HUGE STR. EVEN MORE IMPORTANTLY THE SUPPORT MEANS SO MUCH TO PEOPLE LIKE CHRIS WHO NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS UNTIL HAVING A DAUGHTER WITH BIPOLAR DISORDER. I SEE THE FIRST HAND EVERY EVERY DAY WHEN WE’RE WORKING THAT THIS IS REALLY DOING SOME GOOD RESULTS FROM SEMINOLE COUNTY AND BEYOND. ME
Hundreds gather to raise mental health awareness in Orlando
Updated: 6:56 PM EDT Apr 22, 2023
Nearly one thousand people gathered in Altamonte Springs for NAMIWalkS, one of the country’s largest mental health fundraisers, with WESH 2’s Christina Watkins as this year’s host.People at the walk say they’re seeing progress in the cause.“It’s great,” said Elizabeth Franko, one of the event’s attendees. “I wasn’t finding help when I needed it before, but I’m finding it much more now.”“Years ago, this wasn’t a thing and they almost shunned the mental health issue. Now, it’s really out in the open. People are accepting of it versus in the past, it was something you really didn’t want to talk about,” said Chris Dupes, another attendee.Last year, NAMI Greater Orlando says it raised enough money to help 16,000 people get mental health care free of charge. This year, they’re closing in on a $200,000 goal.And ahead of this year’s walk, a number of Central Florida leaders spoke up on behalf of mental health. People like Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings came out.The show of support was appreciated by NAMI Greater Orlando. “What it really shows is the stigma, while we have a long way to go, ‘stomping it out’ as we say, we’ve made huge strides,” said Freddy Morello, NAMI Greater Orlando’s executive director.More importantly, the support means so much to people like Chris, who never thought about mental health matters until having a daughter with bipolar disorder.“I see it first hand. Every day when we’re working, this is doing some good results,” said DupesFrom Seminole County and beyond, mental health matters.
Nearly one thousand people gathered in Altamonte Springs for NAMIWalkS, one of the country’s largest mental health fundraisers, with WESH 2’s Christina Watkins as this year’s host.
People at the walk say they’re seeing progress in the cause.
“It’s great,” said Elizabeth Franko, one of the event’s attendees. “I wasn’t finding help when I needed it before, but I’m finding it much more now.”
“Years ago, this wasn’t a thing and they almost shunned the mental health issue. Now, it’s really out in the open. People are accepting of it versus in the past, it was something you really didn’t want to talk about,” said Chris Dupes, another attendee.
Last year, NAMI Greater Orlando says it raised enough money to help 16,000 people get mental health care free of charge. This year, they’re closing in on a $200,000 goal.
And ahead of this year’s walk, a number of Central Florida leaders spoke up on behalf of mental health. People like Seminole County Sheriff Dennis Lemma and Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings came out.
The show of support was appreciated by NAMI Greater Orlando.
“What it really shows is the stigma, while we have a long way to go, ‘stomping it out’ as we say, we’ve made huge strides,” said Freddy Morello, NAMI Greater Orlando’s executive director.
More importantly, the support means so much to people like Chris, who never thought about mental health matters until having a daughter with bipolar disorder.
“I see it first hand. Every day when we’re working, this is doing some good results,” said Dupes
From Seminole County and beyond, mental health matters.
