OUR
STORY
Hello, I’m Jackson Gray, a co-founder of Race the River 2017.
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The mission behind Race the River 2017 is to change the stigma surrounding mental health and suicide by raising awareness, starting conversation, and ultimately creating a more conscious and supportive community to those affected by suicide. Another major component of our efforts is a fundraising goal of $7,000 that will go towards the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and their initiative to lower the suicide rate by 20% by 2025.
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How are we going to do this? We plan to canoe the entire Ohio River— all 981 miles—beginning in May, 2017.
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I always knew suicide was a problem, but didn’t hit home until it affected me personally. I lost my best friend to suicide during my freshman year of college. His death was absolutely tragic and had changed my life, and the lives of the people in my Ohio community, in ways I could never imagine. I realized then that suicide, as a social issue, was bigger and deeper than I could comprehend, and to honor my friend, I wanted to match the issue with a project just as huge, and with the support of other inspired-individuals, have just as big of an impact.
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Through fundraising and awareness events leading up to the event and at stops along the river, I hope to bring my community together to show those that are struggling that they will never paddle alone. Our hope is to inspire and save lives before it is too late, and inspire our community to be proactive in reaching out to others.
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To make this possible, we need your help. We will update this website with volunteer opportunities, information about the project and the cause, and keep a blog during our 981 mile journey with our whereabouts--to personal testimonies from the river--to updates on our fundraising efforts.please check back, consider volunteering and spread the word. Don’t forget to donate on our American Foundation for Suicide Prevention page by clicking the link at the bottom of this page.
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We’re also on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, check us out!
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Thank-you and stay tuned.
