In memory of former Rotary Club President Teri Muse, The Rotary Club of Arcadia hosted its annual Teri Muse Walk-a-thon at the Arcadia County Park on May 19. Having established the Teri G. Muse Family Service Center and served as a Baldwin Park city councilmember for six years, Muse was known by her community for her outstanding civic engagement and outspoken position on mental health awareness. The walk-a-thon was created in her honor to raise awareness and funds to donate toward Arcadia High School’s (AHS) Wellness Center; the funds will be used to host future projects and events in the coming school year.

Walkers checked in at 8 a.m., with leading walkers including Dr. Deja Anderson, AHS’ wellness counselor, and Mr. Muse, Mrs. Muse’s husband. The total amount raised was $10,210, exceeding the walk-a-thon’s goal of $10,000 and rendering the event a huge success.

The walk officially began at 9 a.m. on South Santa Anita Ave; in addition to receiving a free t-shirt, walkers had the option of carrying a full-sized flag to be planted in the Field of Honor on Santa Anita Ave at the end of the walk. Cheered on by their teams, each walker completed a lap around the Arcadia County Park, starting on Santa Anita Ave and heading north towards Huntington Drive, turning on the corner of Huntington and Santa Clara. The route passed by City Hall, the USC Arcadia Hospital, and the Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage.

“With the funds raised, I am looking into offering various workshops for our parents to support their children and workshops for our students here at AHS,” said Dr. Anderson. “It was an honor to be selected by the Rotary Club of Arcadia, and I’m so excited for us to host our second walk-a-thon next year! We would love to see even more of the AHS students participating in the walk.”

In a time of international turmoil and skyrocketing rates of mental illness among teenagers, the importance of destigmatizing mental health is more important than ever. Kudos to everyone who participated or donated. The Wellness Center is open before school, during lunch, and up to 20 minutes after school.

Additional resources and hotlines can be found at the National Association of Mental Illness.

Photo Courtesy of AUSD Digital Communications Intern Avani Athavale