Burton Woman Walking To California To Raise Money & Awareness For Mental Health

Rissa Reel is starting a 2,300 mile journey on foot, walking from Burton to California, to raise money and awareness for mental health.

"Walking For The Voiceless" is Reel's initiative to help anyone dealing with mental health issues. She began her trek Tuesday morning, and plans to keep updating her progress on her social media accounts throughout the journey. She will also be donating the funds raised to different charities as she goes. One of the benefiting charities is Whaley Children Center, with more to be named.

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The walk will definitely not be an easy mission, and according to Reel, will most likely take just over a month to complete. I think the difficulty of the walk is all part of the mission though. Reel talks about the symbolism of the walk to her mission.

This walk is to show anyone that life is just a journey full of sunburn, blisters, chafing, exhaustion, and all the other obstacles that may come about during the walk which reflects life and all the obstacles we endure but all you can do is put one foot in front of the other. If you just keep taking steps - just keep pushing forward, you can make it anywhere

Reel has set up a Go Fund Me page to make donating easier while she is on the walk. You can make a one time donation, or pledge per mile.

If you're able to help out in any way, please take the time to do so. This is an incredible challenge that Reel is taking on, and it's for an even more incredible cause. The stigma around mental illness has to end, and it will take an unbelievable effort like this to do so.