In observance of Mental Illness Awareness Week, the National Alliance on Mental Illness Wood County will host the annual AfterBurn event on Friday, Oct. 6 from 5-8 p.m. at the Wood County Fairgrounds in Bowling Green. This free family-friendly event serves as the organization’s largest fundraiser of the year, with proceeds benefitting the free support groups, classes, presentations and trainings that NAMI Wood County offers to community members in the county.
AfterBurn will include trunk or treat, a chili cook-off, games and activities, and a Recovery Celebration. Participants are encouraged to dress in family-friendly costumes as they participate in “trunk-or-treating” while learning about local mental health resources in the county.
Once bags are filled with candy and goodies, participants can head into the junior fair building to taste a variety of chili recipes, submitted in AfterBurn’s Chili Cook-off. Entry in the Chili Cook-off is free for community members. Participants can purchase 10 tastings for $10 or 5 tastings for $5 as well as buy pulled pork meals for $10 each, which includes a pulled pork sandwich, macaroni and cheese, cornbread, cookie and drink.
A portion of the proceeds from the Chili Cook-off will go towards the Wood County First Responder Support Team. T-shirts will also be available starting at $20 each. As families are eating, there will be games and activities available including face paint,ing cornhole and rock painting. All games and activities are free to participate.
AfterBurn will end with a Recovery Celebration, where participants will come together to congratulate chili cook-off winners and take part in a performance of hope and resilience.
For more information about the AfterBurn event, visit their website. NAMI Wood County is a leading self-help organization offering free events, educational classes, support groups, and other programs that address mental health for the Wood County community.
