Parks & Recreation: News Releases

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The Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department has earned first place in the countywide Mental Health Scavenger Hunt, an initiative led by the Get Your Green On (GYGO) Committee to promote mental wellness, self-care and community engagement. The win marks the department's second consecutive championship in the annual challenge.

Hosted through the Goosechase app during Mental Health Awareness Month in May, the scavenger hunt encouraged participants to complete activities focused on wellness, education and community connection. Individuals and teams earned points by completing missions designed to raise awareness of mental health and encourage healthy habits.

This year's scavenger hunt was hosted by the Palm Beach County Behavioral Health Coalition, Jewish Family Services (JFS) of Palm Beach County and the Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department. Participants completed missions such as wearing green, the international color of mental health awareness, developing self-care plans, visiting parks and recreation facilities, learning about overdose prevention and participating in a mental health resource bus tour among several other local events.

The bus tour highlighted community resources and organizations that support mental health throughout Palm Beach County, including Morikami Museum and Japanese Gardens, Palm Beach County Fire Rescue, Children's Services Council, The Recovery Community HUB of Delray Beach, The Lord's Place and the Palm Beach County Youth Services Department Highridge Family Center.

A total of 34 teams from across Palm Beach County participated in the challenge, completing more than 900 missions throughout the month, including county resident families and organizations such as NAMI Palm Beach County, Ellie Mental Health and the Palm Beach County Youth Services Department.

The final results were announced on June 3, with Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation earning first place in the challenge. Ellie Mental Health secured second place, while a Palm Beach County resident family team earned third place. Congratulations to all participating teams for their commitment to mental health awareness and engagement throughout the month.

"This challenge has been a meaningful and engaging part of the Get Your Green On initiative, combining education, wellness and community involvement," said Jamilah St Juste, Recreation Specialist III. "The missions encouraged participants to explore activities and local resources that support mental well-being, resilience and overall quality of life. It is rewarding each year to see such strong participation and support from team members across all levels and divisions of our department," said Tevin Ali, Parks Coordinator.

"Serving as a host organization for this year's Mental Health Scavenger Hunt was an honor," said Jennifer Cirillo, Director of Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation. "As a longtime partner of the Get Your Green On initiative, we were proud to support this year's theme, 'Rooted in Resilience,' and help connect residents with activities and resources such as our parks system and recreational facilities that strengthen our overall well-being."

"What this initiative demonstrates is the wide variety of activities and resources available throughout Palm Beach County to support mental health," said Tammy Fields, Deputy County Administrator. "Taking care of your mental health can look different for everyone and this challenge highlighted the many pathways to wellness and ways our community can connect with resources."

ABOUT GET YOUR GREEN ON

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. The Get Your Green On campaign raises awareness by encouraging visible support for mental health and creating safe spaces for open conversations about mental health and trauma. This year marks the campaign’s 11th anniversary. To show your support, everyone in Palm Beach County is encouraged to “Get Your Green On” by wearing green, the international color for mental health awareness, on the third Thursday every May. For more information about the Get Your Green On initiative, visit www.getyourgreenon.org. [external link]

ABOUT PALM BEACH COUNTY PARKS AND RECREATION DEPARTMENT

The Palm Beach County Parks and Recreation Department, nationally accredited through the Commission for Accreditation of Park and Recreation Agencies (CAPRA), is recognized for excellence in park and recreation management and provides organized recreational programs and services for people of all ages and abilities. Discover healthy, happy living at www.pbcparks.com and follow @PBCParks and #pbcparks on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.