Walk a Mile Rally a Success

Pictures from the Rally...

http://goo.gl/DDKuoR

Also, a report on the Rally:

http://goo.gl/2cOSEn

David Friday spent part of his Wednesday afternoon on the state Capitol Building grounds, listening to speeches.

He's an advocate for people with behavioral and developmental disabilities, and the annual "Walk-a-Mile in My Shoes" rally aimed at raising awareness of mental health issues has become a sort of pilgrimage for the Standish man.

"I've been here all 11 years," said Friday, who works for the Bay-Arenac Behavioral Health Authority, a regional state mental health services agency.

"With all the budget cuts in the state, (we) want to advocate ... to keep funding going for mental health and developmental disabilities services. Without Community Mental Health services, individuals don't have a safety net."

The rally also helps fight the stigma associated with behavioral health disorders and developmental disabilities, he said.

More than 2,000 people, including advocates from all 83 Michigan counties, joined the annual walk around the Capitol grounds.