NAMI Walk draws nearly 100 participants

Coeur d'Alene's National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) mental health walk on Saturday was a huge success.

The 5K began at Riverstone Park at 9:45 a.m. and traveled a route along the North Idaho Centennial Trail toward North Idaho College. 

"This is our third annual NAMI walk," NAMI Coeur d'Alene Executive Director Jill Ainsworth said. "We're not only here to walk for suicide prevention, but for all the different mental illnesses and struggles that folks face, and for those who love and live with these people." 

The walk, Ainsworth said, drew close to 100 people. 

"We had 80 registered as of 9 o'clock on Friday night and have had at least a dozen and a half register this morning." 

Five of those individuals were family members and friends of Lorena Hernandez.  

"I am the mother of Anthony, AKA Tony Flores Jr. We lost him in March of 2023 by suicide," Lorena said. "We are here to continue his voice and to continue to spread his light for more awareness of mental illness and to get rid of the stigma and to have more resources and spread more of what mental health does to oneself and what it does to the family." 

The Saturday event helped raise money for the local NAMI chapter. 

"This is the only fundraising event for 2026 for our Coeur d'Alene chapter affiliate," Ainsworth said. "Our goal was to reach $15,000. We were not there on Thursday, but then we got a large donation and now we are slightly over our goal." 

Ainsworth said the funding remains within Kootenai County. 

"That money funds a lot of outreach and education we provide," she said. "We QPR — question, persuade, refer, and train anyone. We also use it to train our board members and volunteers to be leaders for different types of groups, peer support groups and things like that. And if we need to have an event and we need to rent a space for it, that money helps us be able to do that." 

Two special speakers spoke before the walk began. The first was Kootenai County Chief Deputy Coroner Lynn Acebedo. 

"I've been the Chief Deputy since 2015. This is one of the projects that's near and dear to my heart. I'm happy to see everybody out here today supporting each other," Acebedo said. "We've all lost someone — I lost my twin brother to a murder — he also had a mental illness and a drug addiction. Thank you all for being the voice — for being here today." 

Kootenai County Mental Health Court Program Coordinator Mary Wolfinger spoke next. 

"Since its founding in 2004, the mental health court program has been building a bridge between the criminal justice system and those in need of mental health treatment," Wolfinger said. "Our program operates on a profound foundational truth that no one is beyond redemption and that encouragement, structured support, and treatment change lives." 

Instead of a traditional adversarial courtroom, Wolfinger said the Kootenai County Mental Health Court functions as a unified team, bringing together the judge, prosecutor, defense attorney, probation officer, and local mental health professionals.  

"Our program focuses on the success of each participant, and our overall goal is to transform lives by changing criminal behavior and addressing mental health, addiction, and past trauma," she said. "When a participant enters the mental health court, they commit to intense accountability. But in return, they are wrapped in an incredible web of support. We ask our participants to show up, try hard, and be honest." 

Wolfinger added that the court connects them to consistent therapy, medication management, support groups, and vital pathways to stable housing and employment. 

"We also connect them to NAMI," she said. "Our success is not just in people not returning to incarceration, but in the parents reuniting with their children, individuals finding a true sense of purpose, and people discovering that a severe mental health diagnosis does not define the future that God has in store for them." 

She wrapped up her address with encouragement. 

"As we lace up our shoes and take our steps today, let's celebrate all of the dedicated professional care teams, the mental health advocates, and most importantly, the courageous participants and graduates who show us what true North Idaho resilience looks like every single day," Wolfinger said. "Let's keep walking with faith in our hearts, keep cheering, and keep fighting for a community where support is always within reach." 

Visit cdanami.org for more information. 

    Lorena Hernandez lost her son Tony to suicide in 2023. Pictured with her, from left, are Dustin Gannon, Eddie Hernandez, Greg Bloomstadt and Tony's grandfather, Victor.
  

    Participants in the 2026 NAMI Walk.