Wake County teens lead a free Walk for Mental Health from 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday on Carya Drive. A free fatherhood forum with lunch starts on the same campus at 11 a.m.

Teenagers from the Wake County 4-H Teen Council will lead a free Walk for Mental Health in east Raleigh on Saturday, Nov. 14. It runs from 2 to 4 p.m. and is open to all ages.

The walk starts at the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Wake County Center, 4001 Carya Drive. The route loops through Historic Oak View County Park and back, and the county describes it as accessible. Wake County announced the event in a Nov. 10 release.

Earlier the same day, on the same county campus, Wake County Public Health and 100 Black Men of the Triangle East will hold a free forum on fatherhood and men’s health.

The Walk for Mental Health

The afternoon opens with a short conversation about mental health. Along the route, walkers will pass displays the teen council members made about teen stress and burnout. The county said there will also be:

  • activities and time for conversation and reflection
  • mental health resources to take away
  • light refreshments

The walk raises money for the National Alliance on Mental Illness Wake County, which supports people and families living with mental illness.

Registration is free and encouraged, through the 4-H online registration page.

The county pointed to state survey figures to explain why the teens chose the subject. In 2025, about 30% of North Carolina high school students said they had felt so sad or hopeless that they stopped doing their usual activities. That figure is from the Department of Public Instruction’s summary of the state Youth Risk Behavior Survey.

“This walk is an opportunity to listen, learn and remind young people that they don’t have to face life’s challenges alone,” Wake County Commissioner Cheryl Stallings said in the release.

Fatherhood forum in the morning

“For the Brothas: Fatherhood Engagement Through Community Dialogue” runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Wake County Commons Building, 4011 Carya Drive. Lunch is provided. Registration is encouraged but not required, according to the county’s Nov. 9 announcement.

A panel will cover physical and mental health, relationships, fatherhood, money, mentoring and community leadership. Terrance Ruth of NC State University will moderate. The panel includes a doctor from Alliance Medical Ministry, a fatherhood educator, a licensed counselor and a policy and strategy project manager from the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services.

Community groups will have tables offering help with:

  • parenting and family services
  • jobs and financial literacy
  • behavioral health
  • free health screenings

“This event is designed to uplift fathers and connect them with resources that can help them thrive at home, at work and in the community,” said Don Mial, chair of the Wake County Board of Commissioners.

The county’s event page carries the registration form.

What it means for you

  • Both events are free and on the same county campus on Carya Drive in east Raleigh.
  • Fatherhood forum: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, Wake County Commons Building, 4011 Carya Drive. Lunch included; walk-ins welcome.
  • Walk for Mental Health: 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 14, starting at 4001 Carya Drive. All ages; sign up in advance if you can.
  • If you or someone you know is struggling now, call or text 988, the national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, at any time.