Inner Circle Mental Health’s nonprofit, Inner Circle Foundation, is hosting its primary fundraiser of the year this summer on June 28 in the Selah neighborhood of South Norman near Goldsby. Challenge: Accepted will be a day full of events, including a 5K, water balloon battle, car show and drone show, to name a few.
While the event is free to attend, the 5K run and water balloon battle have costs to participate. One hundred percent of the proceeds will support funding for mental healthcare for first responders and veterans.
Inner Circle Foundation was created to help fill gaps in access to necessary mental health care for first responders and veterans.
“First responders do not make much money and often choose high-deductible health plans. They come in and they’re struggling with their mental health, and they feel their only option is not to get help and let mental health issues build,” explained Kate Cooper, owner of Inner Circle Mental Health and event coordinator for Challenge: Accepted. “We wanted to change that and help them get resources to help them afford care.”
One of Inner Circle Foundation’s missions is to provide culturally competent mental health care to first responders and veterans. This means that all clinicians involved in the practice understand the demands of first responder jobs and are highly trained in trauma. Their second mission is to create more culturally competent clinicians. Their third mission is to fund their critical incident stress management team, a team of volunteers that help first responders during and after high-stress events.
“This is the first year (for the event), but we plan to make it an annual thing around the 4th of July. I know that the mental health undertone might seem heavy, but we are going for a full day of family fun where you bring your kids, family, bikes and dogs,” Cooper said. “It’s a time to hang out. You can dive into the deep stuff and read stories about mental health or just be there to have fun. It’s customizable to what you want to do.”
The morning’s events will kick off at 8 a.m. with the Brandon Gray Thin Line Memorial Run 5K, a run dedicated to first responders and veterans who have lost their lives to suicide.
Brandon Gray was a first responder who committed suicide on July 3, 2024.
“It was the first suicide that our agency responded to. I don’t think that we could have responded to a suicide that had more shock waves through the Cleveland County community because Brandon was the person who was there for everyone else. He was excellent at his job and no one suspected,” Cooper said. “I think that is one of the key things to take away. These are the people who help everybody else and who never ask for help themselves.
“We are actively trying to change and bring awareness to this problem. At the end of the day, first responders are more likely to kill themselves than die in the line of duty. It’s the same for all branches of first responder departments.”
The run will take place in the scenic Selah neighborhood, which has gravel terrain and some hills. All fitness levels of runners and walkers are welcome.
Next in the lineup will be the Brake the Stigma Charity Car Show. First responders and veterans get discounts for entering their cars, and there is a special award category for those who have had a mental health crisis and their vehicle has played a role in their path toward healing.
The Water Balloon Battle, sponsored by Country Leisure, will commence following the car show. There will be several different heats of water balloon fights based on age groups, from kids to adults.
Expect to see other water attractions, Touch-A-Truck, and other interactive opportunities for kids. Fire trucks, OBN’s mobile command center and an ambulance will also be on display.
The Norman Children’s Business Fair will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. across from the main stage area. Evening events will include a DJ, dancing and live performances.
The night will end with a Light Up The Sky Independence Day Drone Show. In an effort to mitigate potential PTSD concerns for some due to fireworks, the drone show will be family-, veteran- and first responder-friendly. Viewers can choose to watch near the stage or from further away. If watching from a car, viewers can stream through a radio station.
“We are trying to make it accessible for everybody, so if you’re not into crowds, there will be different viewing areas to meet different needs,” Cooper explained.
The night’s festivities will conclude around 9:30 p.m.
“There is something for everybody to do,” Cooper invited. “Come out and have so much fun and support an amazing cause because 100 percent goes back to the first responders that help people every single day. It’s a good opportunity for us to show up for them.”
Learn more at innercirclementalhealth.com/challengeaccepted-2025.– BSM
By Rae Lynn Payton
