After Palouse community member Lynn Kramer lost a child to suicide, she decided to pursue a way to address mental health problems in the area.

Her organization, iBelieve of the Palouse, is partnering with WSU’s Palouse Mental Health Team to offer a Mental Health Resources Fair.

The team aims to inspire young people to make the most of their talents and opportunities and teach them to deal with challenges. Together, the two organizations are aiming to raise $1 million to open a new youth and wellness center in Pullman.

“We will have a resource center where youth and families can get connected with resources available to help fulfill whatever needs they may have,” Kramer said. “The most important thing for us is that the center and the services offered remain free and open to all.”

The center will feature free psychiatric care and suicide prevention staff.

There is a large demand for mental health services in Pullman, and by extension Moscow and the Palouse, said Callum McLuckie, a member of the Palouse Mental Health Team. After doing some research, McLuckie said he found that depression, anxiety, stress and suicide are common in this area.

McLuckie said they initially named the event “Fitness for Fulfillment” to emphasize finding self-fulfillment in exercising. Fellow team member Eddie Chavez explained they changed the name to “Mental Health Resources Fair” because they want to raise awareness of mental health issues.

“It holds us here in the WSU family pretty dearly, especially with the loss of our quarterback,” he said. “We need to remember that even within [the] Palouse there have been people who have taken their own lives.”

The event itself will provide a body pump, yoga and  Zumba class, as well as a silent auction, a panel of WSU celebrities, coaches and other well-known members of the Pullman community. McLuckie said their “Pie a Professional” section will feature the silent auction, where fairgoers will have the option to bid on a chance to “pie” one of the guest speakers.

“The idea behind this is to show that you are a part of a community, that’s why we’re doing group fitness classes,” McLuckie said. “You are all in there at a beginner level, and even when you are going through something you can see there are others around.”

The panel of WSU celebrities includes Jack Thompson, a former WSU quarterback and NFL veteran; Patrick Chun, WSU’s new athletic director; Rueben Mayes, a former WSU running back and NFL veteran; James Donaldson, a former WSU basketball player and 18-year NBA veteran; and Jerry Pastore, WSU’s associate director of athletics.

The Palouse Mental Health Team also hopes to combat the stigma associated with mental health.

“For most people,” McLuckie said, “they see it as an inherent weakness to talk about your feelings or what you are going through.”

However, the group aims to break through the expectation people may have that they must face depression and other mental illnesses alone.

According to their website, the event will be free to the public and feature several carnival-style games with mental health themes, such as “Dart Away Depression,” where participants will throw darts to pop balloons that represent the worst parts of their depression.

“We need to bring awareness to the underlying issues that affect our mental health and leave people feeling they have no options or that nobody cares for them,” Kramer said. “This fair allows the community to connect and highlight the resources available while promoting overall wellness.”

The fair will take place from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday in the Elson S. Floyd Cultural Center.