Event Description

Join us the week of February 7th by participating in any silent (non-motorized) outdoor, winter activity. All proceeds will benefit West End Suicide Prevention (WESP) and the LIVE Campaign. WESP is a diverse group of individuals, facilitated by Great Lakes Recovery Centers, who are working towards preventing suicide. The group has done things such as offered educational courses to the community and delivered Dial Help materials to the local area. (Dial Help is the 24/7 Crisis Support Line for the Upper Peninsula.) WESP also developed the LIVE (rhymes with ‘give’) campaign, a positive mental health campaign encouraging individuals to LOVE (yourself), INCLUDE (others), VALUE (life) and ENGAGE (community).

Silent Snow Sports for Suicide Prevention will also bring an overall awareness to suicide and mental health concerns and it will have a positive effect on the physical and mental health of participants. The event encourages people to get outside and participate in aerobic activities, such as skiing, ice skating, snowshoeing, sledding, snow biking or hiking during our long winter. When combining aerobic activities with the outdoors, a person experiences an interaction of exercise and the benefits of being in natural sunlight, cleaner air and hopefully some peace and quiet. The calm of a ski or snowshoe in the woods allows us more frequent meditative moments. Additionally, trying new recreational pursuits can also have an added benefit on your mental health. Developing new skills can help us experience a sense of lifelong learning and some level of mastery.

If you submit a photo from your winter activity you will be entered into a drawing to win a door prize! These photos will be shared on WESP's social media pages. Submit photos to WESP@glrc.org.