06/10/2025
Mental Health Awareness Month Wrap Up Party a Big Success!
A large crowd attended the Centre County Mental Health Awareness Month Wrap Up Party presented by Centre Helps / 988 Su***de Hotline, on Wednesday evening, June 4th, to celebrate the success of a national awareness campaign that concluded May 31st. This 19th annual event was free to attend and hosted by Skills of Central PA and the Opportunity Centre Clubhouse and held at Wasson Farm.
In a brief but very emotional ceremony, three annual awards were presented. The 2025 CIT Officers of the Year Award recipients were announced first. Randi Smeal, Centre County Emergency Communications Public Safety Telecommunicator accepted the first award. Randi consistently displays a calm and compassionate demeanor when answering emergency and crisis calls and is credited with saving the life of a caller in January, through compassionate and caring communication during a 911 call. State College Police Lieutenant Bryan Foster was the second recipient. Lieutenant Foster is the embodiment of calm under pressure. In the most chaotic and emotionally charged situations, Lieutenant Foster maintains a steady, composed presence that sets the tone for everyone. Lieutenant Foster's ability to de-escalate some of the most volatile and delicate encounters without the use of force speaks volumes about his empathy, emotional intelligence, and respect for human life. He diffused a dangerous situation earlier this year, leading to a very positive outcome.
Finally, the Centre County Mental Health Advocate of the Year Award presentation closed out the ceremony. This award is given every year to recognize someone who goes above and beyond to provide support to the mental health community. For 2025, the State College Food Bank received the award. Allayn Beck, the Food Bank Executive Director, accepted the honor on behalf of the entire team that makes the Food Bank such an important resource in our community.
More than a dozen mental health care providers participated in an evening-long vendor fair, offering valuable literature, useful free gift items, and great conversations with attendees who had questions about resources available in Centre County.
The party atmosphere was bolstered with live music by Kevin Briggs and a free Wasson Ice Cream scoop to everyone in attendance! Complimentary heavy hors d'oeuvres from Good Day Café and a coffee and snack station were enjoyed by all.
Speakers from the mental health field addressed the crowd briefly, with valuable words of encouragement, success stories, and informative tips for those seeking assistance and resources. Appearing at the podium were: Nicki Tice, Regional Director of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services with Skills of Central Pa; Marisa Vicere, President and Founder of the Jana Marie Foundation; Amanda Mittan, Police Civilian Social Worker with the State College Police Department; Tracy Small, Crisis Intervention Team Coordinator; Helen DeFilippis, Assistant Administrator with Centre County Mental Health; and Laura Gardner, Clinical Supervisor overseeing the Mental Health Services arm of Skills of Central Pa.
The event had been scheduled as the 19th Annual Centre County Mental Health Awareness Kick Off Party, set for May 1st to launch the campaign with a bang. However, widespread power outages from violent storms left much of the region and the event venue without electricity on May 1st. The event was postponed, and was subsequently renamed “Wrap Up Party” to instead celebrate a successful end to the campaign with the June 4th date.
