From NAMI WOOD COUNTY
The 2024 AfterBurn event, held earlier this month at the Wood County Junior Fair Building, was the largest fall fundraiser to date for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Wood County.
The event attracted 275 participants and raised over $6,400 in monetary and in-kind donations.
Proceeds from the free, family-friendly event benefit the organization’s free support groups, classes, presentations and trainings that are offered to community members in the county.
The “Fan Favorite” Trunk or Treat booth this year was the Wood County Educational Service Center.
Winners of the Chili Cook-off included: Golden Spoon award winner Bree Snow and People’s Choice award winner Michelle Snow.
Judges for the Chili Cook-off included Chief Michael Campbell, Bowling Green State University Police Department; Lieutenant Jamison Martinez, Wood County Sheriff Department; and Lieutenant Shad Kitchen, Bowling Green Fire Department.
The event ended with a moment of silence for individuals who have lost their lives due to their mental illness and/or suicide as well as a moving performance from Staci Taper, NAMI Wood County volunteer and Connection Center member of sign singing “Roar” by Katy Perry.
Sponsors for the event included Wood County Hospital, Meijer, Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services Board, Fruth and Company, LLC, Costco, Unison Health, Dunham’s Sports, Home Depot, Arrowhead Behavioral Health, Molina Healthcare, Pisanello’s Pizza, For Keeps, Gordon Food Service, Ohio Skate, and Target.
Agencies who participated in Trunk or Treat and led activity tables at AfterBurn included: Wood County Addiction Response Collaborative (ARC), Wood County Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services (ADAMHS) Board, Bowling Green State University Police Department, The Cocoon, Children’s Resource Center, Wood County Educational Service Center, Harbor, Healing Connections Wellness Center, Wood County Humane Society, Wood County Health Department, Ohio Guidestone, Giving Birthdays and Unison Health.
Visit the NAMI Wood County website to learn more about this event, including information for 2025’s AfterBurn at www.namiwoodcounty.org/afterburn.
