PR run promotes suicide awareness

PRIEST RIVER — Suicide continues to be the second leading cause of death for Idahoans between the ages of 15 and 34, according to the Suicide Prevention Action Network of Idaho. 

Idaho is consistently among the states with the highest suicide rates each year, according to SPAN, and small communities like Priest River are no exception to the loss of friends and loved ones who take their own lives.

Run for the Berries is a fun run to support the Priest River Cross Country team, and this year the event will also include the added purpose of suicide awareness and prevention.

"People need to know that people actually care, and that there is somebody they can talk to," said Graden Hanes, Priest River Lamanna High School sophomore and cross country athlete.

Hanes said the idea came up several months ago following the suicide of a PRLHS student this past school year.

"What really affected me was how most people didn't do anything about it," Hanes said in reference to how the suicide of a schoolmate affected others at PRLHS.

While the young man's close friends were deeply affected, Hanes said, many just went on as if nothing happened. A subsequent conversation with his mom led Hanes to approach his cross country coach, Lance Clark, with the idea to add suicide awareness to Run for the Berries. Hanes said there has been a suicide in his own family as well, so the recent suicide sparked a desire to take action.

Hanes and his mom helped design this year's Run for the Berries T-shirts, which will feature the purple and teal suicide awareness ribbon. Early registration for the event ends today, and while some extra T-shirts will be available, only those who register by today are guaranteed a T-shirt.

Clark said the event was handed over to him and the cross country team this year, as it was previously sponsored by the Newport/Priest River Rotary Club. Some of the club members have volunteered to help out with the fun run this year, in addition to parents and athletes on the team, making it the "best race" they can make, Clark said.

In the future, Clark said, he hopes Run for the Berries will fund scholarships for some of the cross country team members to go to college. For now, he said, they will see how much they raise and the money will go into the team's fundraising account to help fund things like shirts, shoes and traveling expenses for the team.

"And then any of those other little things that we need for the team that helps promote and grow the sport, and also promotes the kids' well-being and character-building for the future," Clark said.

Run for the Berries kicks off Timber Days events on Saturday, July 28, with registration and check-in starting at 7 a.m. The run begins at 8 a.m., and awards will be handed out at 10 a.m. Runners and walkers can choose from a five-mile course, a 5K, or a one-mile course. Early registration is $25 for adults and $15 for youth. A huckleberry pancake breakfast, sponsored by the PRLHS Spartan Adult Boosters, will be served from 7-11 a.m. 

To lock in the price and T-shirt guarantee, register for Run for the Berries by today at bit.ly/2zMBuxp.

Mary Malone can be reached by email at mmalone@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow her on Twitter @MaryDailyBee.