ABOVE: Upward Bound 5th Street Express provides mental health awareness for everyone. It’s located off of Downtown Plaza in Fairmont.

FAIRMONT– The month of May is widely known as National Mental Health Awareness Month. This tradition, established in 1949, acknowledges and increases visibility to people struggling with mental illnesses everywhere, building awareness of the significance of mental wellness and recovery to all-a crucial attribute to a person’s overall health.

Upward Bound 5th Street Express , located at 104 E. 5th Street in Fairmont, is a drop-in mental health center and is coordinated by Darek Olson. The primary focus of the club is to assist adults with serious and persistent mental illnesses (SPMI), including anxiety and depression, but warmly accepts others facing disabilities or looking for a place to belong. The clubhouse was established in 1997 and has served over 300 visitors. Currently, as stated by the coordinator, the clubhouse has over 90 members. Upward Bound 5th Street Express offers a comfortable, inviting atmosphere for new members where they are welcome to engage in numerous activities, relationship-building, socialization and seeking information in regards to recovery.

“There is no judgment or mental health stigma here and members find comfort in visiting with other members who are enduring similar challenges,” Olson explained, adding that the center provides resources and materials to keep their visitors safe and in high spirits.

Activities at the drop-in center include crafts, games, bingo, movies, sweet treats and meals. Activities outside of operating center hours include pontoon rides, shopping trips, craft shows, visits to the state fair, involvement with mental health centers in neighboring counties and much more. The clubhouse provokes the message of mental health recovery within the community through civic engagement and its various events. The Upward Bound 5th Street Express often participates in the IHD Parade, allowing club members to step out of their comfort zone, walk along the van and handing informational brochures to eager spectators. Partnering with Faribault and Martin County Human Services, the center encourages clients to steer toward their direction.

“Upward Bound 5th Street Express will help consumers develop their social life, develop their leisure skills, help overcome loneliness and isolation and provide relief from stress in a cost-effective setting. It will provide, in a very comfortable way, an atmosphere of acceptance with a sense of belonging,” Olson said.

Upward Bound 5th Street Express contains an elected and member-led board team meeting monthly. In regards to visitors with no vehicle, the Upward Bound 5th Street Express provides local transportation and bus tokens for activity attendees. The center aims to remove the obstacle of transportation difficulties.

Member-led board meetings will be held monthly, as well as other meetings throughout the year. Olson noted, “This allows many members to take a more active leadership role regarding activity planning or input on clubhouse concerns.”

The building itself will be facing new changes as the season progresses. “This summer we will be undergoing a big transformation as we do renovations inside of our drop-in center,” Olson remarked. “It is a very exciting time to be a member as we’ll be doing a lot of updating to our space, thanks to recent grants from the state, the Schmeekle Foundation, and the Carl & Verna Schmidt Foundation.”

For more information on the Upward Bound 5th Street Express mental health clubhouse, please reach out to the coordinator at 507-238-9021 (Drop-in center main line) or visit 5thstreetexpress.sccbi.info for membership, hours of operation and programs the center provides.

“We are always excited to welcome new members. Mental health is a lifelong balance for everyone, and we have seen our membership base continue to grow as we try to reduce the stigma of mental illness,” Olson concluded.

The 988 LifeLine is available 24/7 for call and chat, providing judgment-free and confidential support for people in mental-health related distress.