From left, Port Clinton Redskins Soccer Academy Director, Paco Romero; Oak House Executive Director, April Fenton; Oak House Peer Support Program Manager, Mirandon Goldstein; and Oak House Program Manager, Ashley Buckley, invite the public to Mental Health Awareness Night during the Redskins soccer game on Sept. 16. (Photo by Sheri Trusty)

BY SHERI TRUSTY

PORT CLINTON – The Port Clinton High School Soccer Program and the Oak House are partnering to host Mental Health Awareness Night when the Port Clinton Redskins face the Vermilion Sailors at True-Lay Stadium on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 5 p.m. and again at 7 p.m. The event will help connect community members with mental health resources and help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.

Oak House staff will host resource tables at the stadium that will provide information on helpful local programs and organizations, including the Oak House, which offers community, connection, and support for individuals navigating mental health. The event is being organized by Oak House Executive Director, April Fenton, and Port Clinton Redskins Soccer Academy Director, Paco Romero. Romero serves on the Oak House board.

“The Oak House is a welcoming place if you have a mental health or substance use background,” Fenton said.

An athletic event is the perfect venue to spread the message about mental health.

Information provided by Romero explains why: “Student-athletes face unique pressures regarding performance, academics, and personal life. Hosting a dedicated awareness event normalizes discussions around mental health, reminding athletes, parents, and community members that mental well-being is as vital as physical fitness.”

In addition to the resource tables, Mental Health Awareness Night will include a food and hygiene drive that will benefit Oak House and Polly’s Place, a women’s transitional home in Port Clinton. Soccer fans are invited to donate shelf-stable food and hygiene products at the event.

For more information on Oak House, visit www.oakhousepc.org. For more information on Redskins Soccer, contact Paco Romero at promero@pccsd-k12.net.