Kyle and Danielle Marti

GLENCOE — 2B CONTINUED will present its 3rd annual gala to benefit suicide prevention and mental health awareness. “Dancing Like the Stars” will be presented on Saturday, April 15, at 6:30 p.m. at the Glencoe City Center.

A preshow begins at 5:30 p.m. Concessions with a meal option and cash bar will be available.

This event will feature 12-selected STAR couples from Brown, Carver, McLeod, Meeker, Nicollet, Renville, Sibley, and Wright counties. They have been working with a professional choreographer to learn a dance routine to participate in a friendly dance competition which raises money for the 2B CONTINUED organization and awareness of its mission.

Kyle and Danielle Marti from New Ulm will represent Brown County in the show.

Buy Show Tickets and “Vote” for your favorite couple to support their pre-event fundraising campaign at: www.2bcontinued.org

Other dancers include Chad and Kim Bergstrom, Hector; Josh and Leah Bernau, Norwood Young America; Jesus and Miriam Castillo, Glencoe; Ryan and Joann Dammann, Waconia; Matt and Shauna Gruber, Glencoe; Bob and Rochelle Nelson, Green Isle; Anna Panning and Reece Chiriboga, Chaska; McKoy and Stephanie Rodning, Gaylord; Joe and Beth Sawatzke, Winsted; Paul and Heather Wright, Hutchinson; Clint and Brandy Zentner, Litchfield.

Choreographers include Alicia Beste, Glencoe; Kelly Bestul, Hutchinson; Natalie Botes, Chaska; Nancy Marcks, Hutchinson; Danny Ross, Arlington; Tori Sweeney, Spring Park; and Missy Visser, New Ulm

2B CONTINUED is a local 501c3 nonprofit organization committed to increasing awareness of suicide prevention, mental health, and wellness through advocacy, education, and outreach. It primarily serve the counties of Brown, Carver, McLeod, Meeker, Nicollet, Renville, Sibley, and Wright. Its outreach continues to expand rapidly due to high demand for its programming.

The money raised will be used for education, outreach, and events in local communities to help carry out the mission. In 2022, more than 14,000 people were impacted by our programming. Some were reached through educational offerings of QPR or SafeTALK for Ag trainings, Mental Health First Aid courses, or at Continuing Education Conference for Professionals. Others were reached through community outreach activities like yard signs with encouraging messages, community celebration parades, and a Suicide Loss Support group. Regardless of the platform, the messages of “You are not alone”, “You matter” and “Together we can make a difference” are touching lives and helping to provide connections and resources for mental health and wellness where they are most needed.

The Dancing Like The Stars Show is the primary funding source for the teen Mental Health First Aid program. 2B CONTINUED certified instructors are teaching the Teen Mental Health First Aid curriculum to 43 class sections of high schoolers in 9 area school districts: Central (NYA), Eden Valley Watkins, Glencoe – Silver Lake, Hutchinson, Lester Prairie, Sibley East, Sleepy Eye, Waconia, and Watertown-Mayer. Each school has between 2-10 class sections. The program costs about $2,500/section of 30 students, making 2B CONTINUED’s total budget more than $100,000 for just this one program. It is offered free of charge to remove any financial barrier to participation. The response from schools and participants to this training has been overwhelmingly positive. We currently have a waiting list of schools wanting this evidence-based training program.

Please note: 2B CONTINUED does not offer any professional services. If you or someone you know is in crisis, call, text, or chat 988.