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In 2021 Cloud Peak Counseling spearheaded a luncheon designed to help “end the stigma” about mental health and last week Worland Mayor Jim Gill invited people to help organize a mental health awareness and fitness fair event similar to one organized in Shell earlier this year.

Gill invited a few of the members of the committee to come and speak at a meeting in the library last Thursday. Kendra Ware volunteered to chair the Worland committee but noted she will need a lot of help.

Stan Flitner of Shell said mental health is as important as physical health and people need both. He said he learned he needed mental health exercises especially after the loss of his grandson, who died by suicide.

He said years ago talking about breast cancer was taboo, now it is easily talked about and there are many events around breast cancer awareness and he would like to see mental health talked about just as easily.

“Everybody is hungry for mental wellness,” he said.

The 29-member committee who organized the event in Shell “were a group of people invested and passionate about helping others,” committee chair Patty Elliot told those at the Worland meeting.

She said their committee would be willing to help and have obtained funds that they could use to help with Worland’s event but Worland’s event needs to be organized and planned by Washakie County people for Washakie County.

The group suggested that Worland should have a larger committee since it is a larger community and the more members the less work for everyone involved.

The committee that created the Shell event were members committed to mental health awareness and that is what Worland needs as well — people with a passion and who are invested in raising awareness for mental health. You don’t need a degree, you just need to be willing to help others.

There were about 100 in attendance at the Shell event and it was a “come-and-go” type of event but they said no one left.

Everyone has been touched in some way by someone struggling with mental health. Every community has been touched and Worland is no exception. This event could help a lot of people who may be struggling or who may know of others who are struggling.

Anyone interested in helping with the program is invited to contact Ware at Bryant Funeral Home.

Until the event, just know there are many resources available to those needing help. First, realize it is “OK to not be OK.” Second, it is OK to talk to someone about what you are feeling. It is OK to seek help.

We need to rejoice when people get well mentally, just as we do when people improve their physical health.

If you or someone you know is struggling, there is a walk-in clinic at Cloud Peak Counseling Center in Worland, Monday and Wednesday from 1 to 4 p.m.

You can also call 988, the national suicide and crisis lifeline.

The mental health awareness and fitness event is a great time for the community to come together and help share the message that mental health is health and it is important and it is OK to get mentally healthy.