The month of May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and all are welcome to Move for Mental Health Awareness at Virtual Race With A View. This event, now in its 33rd year, benefits JFCS of Long Beach & West Orange County, who provides professional, affordable counseling and support to all, without regard for religion, race, socioeconomic status, gender identity, or immigration status. The event kicks off on May 1 and lasts through May 31. Registration is open now online at www.racewithaview.com and will continue throughout the month of May.
Virtual events have become normalized during the coronavirus pandemic, and gatherings with large numbers are still discouraged. “Participants can walk, run, roll, or bike, or roller blade as far as they wish, whenever it’s convenient, following the route of their choice, whether it is walking from the house to the mailbox or taking a day-long bike ride to Laguna Beach and back. Treadmill and stationary bike sessions count as well. You do not need to be a local resident to support this important cause as participation in Virtual Race With A View can be done anywhere,” said Gael Libby, race committee co-chair. “Participants are invited to form teams, and each team member can choose their distance, date of participation, and means of moving for mental health awareness,” said Raymond Cervantez, committee co-chair. He added, “We will also have some new and user-friendly website features which will allow all participants to upload their finish times and photos to our site.”
“At no time in the 60+ years of JFCS has it been more apparent that our agency’s services are essential to our community. Since the onset of COVID-19, JFCS has helped our community deal with stress and other mental health issues, isolation, food insecurity, and issues of domestic violence and personal safety. We served over 1900 people in 2020 and although we can see a pinpoint of light at the end of the pandemic tunnel, those whose lives have been upended by COVID-19 are still in need of help to emerge from its pervasive impact. We are asking the entire community to support our event and to invite your friends and family to join you,” said JFCS Executive Director Kathryn Miles.
All participants of 2021 Virtual Race With A View are fulfilling their first step in earning a Long Beach Trifecta Series for Good medal. Participants in two additional month-long virtual events—
USVETS – Long Beach “Storm the Beach” in June and Meals on Wheels of Long Beach Run/Walk/Roll in July—will receive a unique Long Beach Trifecta commemorative medal. For more information, visit the Trifecta website at lbtrifecta.org.
Early Bird registration for individuals is $30 and ends on April 15. Regular individual registration is $35 from April 16 – May 31. Students ages 18-22 pay $20, and teams of 3 or more members pay $25 each whenever they register. The popular Family Plan is back, with children 17 and under free with a paying adult. Register online at racewithaview.com or call (562) 427-7916 for more information.
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