FRANKLIN — Franklin High School wrestling team is taking a break from the mat to help kids and families in crisis for National Suicide Prevention Month.
In a sport where silence and line of sight are key, these players came together to make sure teens are seen and heard.
"Unfortunately we see a rise, in places where mental health and mental health support is important," said wrestling mom Sharla Stevens.
The annual Franklin high school wrestling team golf outing also benefited Upstream Prevention, an organization that focuses on mental health and suicide prevention.
"A lot of people have issues at home and they need somebody to talk to, or they might be having a situation with a friend at school even a sibling," Girls wrestling coach Tina Tonte said. We've had people reach out to us and you know maybe they need a resource or a phone number to call and Upstream is apart of that. They have a hot line you can call."
Each player could buy a golf ball. From the fire truck ladder, the balls were dropped. The one closest to fall within the hula hoop was the winner, with proceeds to be split with Upstream Prevention.
"This is where you build the community," Franklin wrestling head coach said. "It happens it the atmosphere at the gym and that moment, but all this is built at other times and just bringing people together and saying we're Franklin wrestling and we're out here doing this for your kids and the kids in this community, you know they have a sense of being apart of the team."
While no legends were made on this day, the event shed light that with community support much can be accomplished.
If you need help, you can always call 988 for mental health help and resources.
