Collaboration Urges Federation of Boca Raton Homeowner Associations Members,
Private Club Communities, Schools, Businesses, Elected Officials, and City Agencies to Designate Reps to Become MHFA Trained FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / PRURGENT
Boca Raton, FL -- Knowing that one in four residents in greater Boca Raton -- approximately 20,000 -- will be impacted by mental illness during their lifetime, Broken Sound Club (BSC) and Boca Raton’s Promise (BRP) have teamed up to siren a Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) “call-to-action” in Boca Raton. Expanding the community impact of the Boca Raton March For Our Lives that drew 5,000 supporters, the collaborative promise will drive Federation of Boca Raton Homeowner Associations members, private club communities, schools, summer camps, businesses and city agencies to identify and designate personnel to become MHFA-trained by nationally certified trainers secured by Boca Raton’s Promise.
“As in Parkland, each one of us may find ourselves in an unexpected role of ‘mental health first aider’ as a friend, colleague or family member with lives at risk and this training will prepare us,” said Rita Thrasher, co-founder and executive director of BRP, a relentless nonprofit trailblazer in raising awareness, increasing education, changing perceptions and starting critical conversations on mental health. “Just as we globally value and promote the need for CPR training, our community must become as passionate about Mental Health First Aid training. We thank Broken Sound Club for partnering with us and opening its doors to expand this opportunity that is critical to the health, welfare and safety of our community.”
Through donor underwriting and events, BRP’s MHFA trainings are free and open to all segments of the community, including teachers, principals and guidance counselors; summer camp leadership and staff; police officers and fire/rescue teams; government agencies; parents; grandparents; athletic coaches; clergy; HR professionals; homeowners’ associations, employers and co-workers, etc. BRP also provides action-provoking outreach for youth and adults, facilitates thought leader conversations and collaborations, presents public speaker tours and community conversations and creates videos.
We Owe It to Those Lost and Their Families to Do Our Very Best to be Better … to be Ready!
“In the aftermath of Marjory Stoneman Douglas, it is now critical to be BOCA BRAVE and BOLD,” said John Crean, CCE, the General Manager and Chief Operating Officer of Broken Sound Club whose 14-year-old daughter Anna survived the MSD mass shooting and whose Tweets went so viral (via NBC National News and other sources) that Anna was selected for the Parkland student delegation hosted by the Giffords Foundation for the March for Our Lives (#MarchForOurLives, #NeverAgain, #MSDStrong) in Washington, D.C.
“There is no single way to help prevent such a tragedy from happening again, but it will ‘take a village’ working together to affect meaningful, transformational change,” added Crean. "As a father of a daughter who lived through this ‘up close and personal’ nightmare, I along with everyone else owe it to those lost and injured and their loved ones that we do our very best to raise a tidal wave of improvement.”
Crean will drive the message of MHFA training via letters to and speaking with his colleagues in the Club Managers Association of America throughout Palm Beach County, presenting at the Federation of Boca Raton Homeowner Associations meeting on April 3 and in teamwork with Boca Raton’s mayor, city council members, county commissioners and business leaders in Boca Raton. BSC will also accommodate the increased capacity for multiple MHFA trainings by providing meeting rooms and refreshments and underwrite 17 trainees in “memory and honor” of each life lost at MSD.
“We so appreciate when two leading community-driven forces as Broken Sound Club and Boca Raton’s Promise collaborate to make an impactful difference for all those who live, work, learn and play in our city,” shared Boca Raton Mayor Susan Haynie. “It’s time we make Mental Health First Aid training a priority.”
BRP Seeks Funding to Underwrite Training and Curriculum Materials
To raise funds to underwrite150 trainees (at $65 each), BRP is presenting a “fun, fan, fund” raising Artist-in-Residence Weekend, April 27-29 featuring nationally recognized vocalist, songwriter, playwright, performer, author and cantor Patti Linsky. Using the love of live music and laughter to unite, inspire and rally "community-for-community", the line-up includes “You’ve Got a Friend” Coffee House and Altar EGO, an original one-woman musical. Weekend opener is a “Sermon in Song: The Spirituality of Recovery”.
For info visit www.bocaratonspromise.org, email info bocaratonspromise.org or call (561) 866-1850. |
