‘We have more work to do’: 437 Project hits the road

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Runners with The 437 Project traveled west on Wednesday across South Dakota ahead of the Thursday beginning of their relay journey, an eastward trek on foot from the state’s border with Wyoming to its border with Iowa. Before their caravan left Sioux Falls, runners and volunteers took a moment to reflect on why the effort takes place. The run across South Dakota is a fundraiser for the Helpline Center, which connects people to mental health resources.

Mapleton Golf Club offers a look at project progress

“We have more work to do,” Helpline Center CEO Janet Kittams said. “We have more people to reach, we have more people to help, and that’s what The 437 Project is all about, is raising that conversation, encouraging people that they can reach out for help, that it’s okay, and that there is help, and there’s hope out there.”

Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken helped launch the event.

“In only three years the brand has really been established, people know what it is, and they know how important the cause is,” TenHaken said.

And as psychiatrist Dr. David Ermer points out, anyone can contribute to the cause.

“If you see somebody you’re working with, a family member, a neighbor, struggling, reach out to them and say, ‘Hey, can we talk?’ And ask if they’re doing okay,” said Ermer, who serves as clinical vice president with Avera Behavioral Health.

The number in The 437 Project’s name is a reference to the approximate mileage covered. Dr. Jon Buchanan of Sioux Falls, who is one of the dozen runners in 2024, shared an introspective message before the first mile of the collective journey on foot begins.

“One of my favorite hymns in church has a line in it that says, ‘In the quiet heart is hidden sorrow that the eye can’t see,'” Buchanan said. “Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, we are surrounded by quiet hearts, and each heart has its own sorrow. So I want you to take two things from that. Number one, if you have sorrow in your heart, don’t be ashamed of it. Don’t be afraid to tell people about it. Don’t hide it. It’s real, and it’s powerful, and it needs to be brought out into the open. And number two, go home and hug your kids. So many young people today suffer with mental illness.”

KELOLAND’s Dan Santella is also one of the 12 runners crossing the state; his reporting from the road continues Thursday.