North Liberty runner’s endurance challenge to raise mental health awareness

NORTH LIBERTY — A North Liberty runner will run 48 miles this weekend as a fundraiser to support mental health awareness, and is inviting others to donate toward his cause.

Mario Minnaert will take on a 4x4x48 Miles for Mental Health endurance challenge to benefit NAMI Linn County, the local chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness. Starting at 2 p.m. Friday, Minnaert will run four miles every four hours for 48 hours straight through Sunday, for a total of 48 miles.

“I believe the real benefit from taking on endurance challenges like this is not the physical aspect but the mental benefits. That's why I'm also raising awareness for the importance of mental health and raising money to benefit NAMI Linn County,” Minnaert said in a statement on his fundraiser website. “One in five adults in America experience a mental illness. Some of the people closest to me have been impacted with mental health issues, yet NO ONE talks about it. I want anyone who is struggling to know it's OK to not be OK and receive the help they need.”

Help raise funds to benefit NAMI Linn County, a local nonprofit organization, dedicated to improving the lives of people with mental illness. Donations can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/f/xr2swg-miles-for-mental-health