Mental health is not something we like to talk about. It’s something that often makes us uncomfortable, nervous or even anxious when it’s brought up. In the wake of poor mental health, things like self-harm, substance or alcohol abuse, and even suicide can be the outcome of this all-too-real and all-too present problem.

In light of these problems, seniors Mitchell Eckardt and Chuck Schraudenbach have chosen to support Mental Health America for a DECA competition.  Eckardt and Schraudenbach, along with many other Liberty students, have witnessed first hand the effects of poor mental health. The fundraiser they are hosting will be at Liberty on Sunday, Dec. 8.

“The reason we chose mental health is because a lot of things have happened around here with suicides and things like that,” Schraudenbach said. For both Eckardt and Schraudenbach, this is their second year in DECA and their first time planning a fundraising event from start to finish. The charity event is a 3×3 basketball tournament that anyone can join as long as they have a team of three or four people.

This tournament is part of Eckardt and Schraudenbach’s project for a DECA competition on Feb. 5. Each person or team who wants to compete must plan a community giving event and then write a twenty-page paper on how the event went. The amount of money they raise will play a part in how far they get in the competition.

The 3×3 basketball tournament will be at Liberty on Sunday, Dec. 8 from 3 to 6 p.m. to raise money for a Mental Health America. Any student, teacher, or community member can form a team of up to four people to compete in the tournament whether they are a part of Liberty or not. To sign up a 3 player team there is a $35 fee and to sign up a 4 player team there is a $45 fee. Each team must play in at least 2 games and there can be up to 32 teams participating in the fundraiser hosted by these two DECA students. Anyone who would like to sign up can go to one of the billboards around Liberty and scan the QR code or follow the link below to the signup page.

https://forms.gle/CA3JADeLCxJeadJN8