With a mission to bolster both physical and mental wellness, an inaugural event, The 437 Project, consists of a team of 12 runners who will run 437 miles relay-style across the state of South Dakota, raising funds and awareness for suicide prevention. Each year, over 48,000 people in the United States die by suicide leaving behind thousands of loved ones to endure this life-changing loss.
Janet Kittams, Chief Executive Officer of the Helpline Center, is championing this partnership on behalf of everyone in South Dakota. “Connecting people to mental health support and hope is at the core of the Helpline Center’s mission. We are proud to be a part of The 437 Project to raise awareness about mental health and suicide prevention across South Dakota.”
Tomorrow (Sept. 22, 2022), the team of 12 community leaders will begin the 437-mile run from Belle Fourche to Sioux Falls. The race will conclude on Sunday. The team of 12 community leaders includes:
- Kristen De Berg | Cardiovascular Genetic Counselor, Sanford Health
- Lesley Fite-Boltjes | RN, Sanford Hospital
- Ryan Flogstad | Sergeant, Sioux Falls Police Department
- Wendy Johnson | Director of Client Services, Electric Pulp
- Greg Koch | Owner and Founder, 605 Running Co.
- Benson Langat | Therapist, Family Service, Inc.
- Dr. Whitney Lucas Molitor | Assistant Professor, University of South Dakota
- Kelly Marshall | Account Risk Manager, Risk Administration Services
- Alex Pool | Integration Manager, The Helpline Center
- Matt Smith | Market President, Dacotah Bank in Sioux Falls
- Paul TenHaken | Mayor of Sioux Falls
- Allison Weber | Relationship Manager, Fiserv
As the Presenting Sponsor for The 437 Project, Avera, continues to lead efforts to inform on warning signs and raise awareness of how to prevent suicide in South Dakota. Avera provides inpatient and outpatient services, in addition to other mental health resources to those who need it most. Matthew Stanley, DO, Avera Clinical Vice President for Behavioral Health shared, “We thank The 437 Project for this important awareness effort. Avera is asking the public to learn the warning signs of suicide and to help us to save lives through caring and compassionate conversations with loved ones. We have a tremendous new prevention resource in 988. People can call or text anytime to be connected to experts in suicide prevention.”
For more information about The 437 Project, visit the437project.org.
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