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Sarasota, FL (July 1, 2018) –Centerstone, one of the nation’s leading providers of mental health and addictions care, is hosting the 16th Annual Life;Story 5K/10K Walk and Run (formerly known as Walk for Life) to help spread awareness about depression and suicide prevention. This is a family friendly athletic event which includes a timed 5K/10K Run, 5K Walk, and Kid’s Races. Centerstone’s Life;Story 5K/10K Run and Walk Saturday, September 22, 2018 | 8:00 - 11:00 AM Nathan Benderson Park 5851 Nathan Benderson Circle | Sarasota, FL 34235 www.centerstone.org/lifestory Centerstone’s 5K/10K chip timed run and 5K walk route follows the perimeter of the scenic rowing center at Nathan Benderson Park, and a kid’s race event will be held for children ages 3 to 12 years. Following the event will be a ceremonial butterfly release and comments provided by individuals who have been impacted by depression and/or suicide. The morning’s activities will include a community awareness fair, free food and refreshments, awards ceremony, and music from a live DJ. In support of their efforts to create awareness about suicide prevention, Centerstone will also host their inaugural Life;Story Dinner on September 21, 2018 at 5:30pm at The Ballroom in Lakewood Ranch. The event will feature keynote speaker Kevin Hines who will share his personal journey of recovery after his suicide attempt by jumping from The Golden Gate Bridge. Hines chronicles his story in the recently released documentary, Suicide: The Ripple Effect. Seating for this event is limited, for ticket information please call 941-782-4340. Centerstone has long sought to reduce suicides in their communities through education, outreach and treatment. “Suicide is preventable. Many people believe that you can’t stop someone if they really want to do it. Research shows that this isn’t true. It is important to know that people do not want to die, they want the pain to stop,” said Melissa Larkin-Skinner, Chief Executive Officer of Centerstone. “Through sharing stories of survival and recovery we want everyone to know there is hope, there are other ways to stop the pain, suicide is not the only or best answer.” Facts about Suicide Across the globe, nearly 1 million people die annually by suicide. In the United States alone there are one million suicide attempts every year and over 40,000 deaths by suicide, with our military being hit particularly hard. Research has shown that for every one death by suicide, over 115 people are directly affected and impacted. The estimated financial cost of suicide is over 50 billion dollars annually. About Centerstone Centerstone is a not-for-profit health care organization dedicated to delivering care that changes people’s lives, providing inpatient and outpatient mental health and addictions treatment to more than 15,000 Floridians a year, including 4,200 children and teens. We provide mental health and substance abuse treatment, education and support to communities in Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Nationally, we have specialized programs for service members, veterans and their loved ones, and develop employee assistance programs for businesses of all sizes. Our research institute improves behavioral healthcare through research and technology, and our foundation secures philanthropic resources to support our work. For more information, visit www.centerstone.org.