NAMI SEAZ annual March for Mental Health is April 16

SIERRA VISTA ? On Saturday, hundreds of people will be gathering at the Cochise College Sierra Vista campus, 901 N. Colombo Ave. in Sierra Vista, to raise money for the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI Southeastern Arizona.

The annual event marks one of the biggest annual fundraisers for NAMI SEAZ.

The 5K march loops around the college campus and features music, food, informational booths and giveaways, appearances by local dignitaries and raffles. Registration starts at 7 a.m. followed by the march at 8:30 a.m.

"Mental illness impacts the lives of one in four adults and one in 10 children," said Phyllis Getz, NAMI SEAZ executive director. "Our supporters are the face and voice of the NAMI movement, where families, individuals and coworkers come together to celebrate recovery while remembering those who have lost their lives to mental illness."

While participation in the march is free, fundraising is encouraged. It's not too late for those interested in participating to register as an individual, join a team or create a team through the registration process.

Register online by visitingwww.marchformentalhealth.org. "Our online registration is easy and fast," said Getz. "It allows others to make credit card donations to you or your team while bypassing paper forms. Participants will receive a webpage allowing them to personalize their stories and track progress."

NAMI is the nation's largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to building better lives for the millions of Americans affected by mental illness. The organization's education, advocacy and support services have helped thousands of individuals and families impacted by mental health issues.

For those wishing to participate in the walk, but would prefer to register offline, contact Getz at (520) 459-3228 or by emailing namiseazinfo@gmail.com.

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About NAMI SEAZ:

NAMI Southeastern Arizona programs offer free support to individuals and families impacted by mental illness, to include peer support, mental health training, advocacy, information and referral services and a self-help resource library.

Established in 2003, NAMI SEAZ is a nonprofit corporation affiliated with NAMI National and NAMI Arizona and represents one of Arizona's ten chapters.

NAMI SEAZ serves Cochise, Graham, Greenlee and Santa Cruz counties.

The NAMI SEAZ corporate office is located at 4755 Campus Drive in Sierra Vista and can be reached by calling (520) 459-3228.

As a nonprofit, NAMI SEAZ receives its support through fundraising activities, small grants, private donations and membership dues. All of the organization's services are provided free of charge.