GOLF EVENT, HEALTH FAIR TO RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

Tournament in O’side in memory of Joseph Aaron Nunez

The annual Goat for Joe fundraising golf tournament and North County Mental Health Resource Fair to raise awareness about mental health is set for Saturday at Goat Hill Park Golf Course in Oceanside.

The event is organized by Dana and Andrea Albert with the San Marcos Rotary Foundation in memory of Andrea’s brother Joseph “Joe” Aaron Nunez, who died by suicide in 2017 at the age of 37. One of Nunez’s favorite pastimes was playing golf at the Goat Hill course.

The event supports San Marcos-based nonprofit TrueCare’s Behavioral Health Services Department, which serves North County. The nonprofit reported that it had seen a significant uptick in caring for patients with mental health needs over the past couple of years as a result of increased isolation, stress and hopelessness because of COVID-19, in line with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research.

The tournament and fair together run from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Goat Hill Park Golf Course, 2323 Goat Hill Drive.

The community mental health fair takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is slated to include more than 10 mental health providers at the golf course.

There will be activities for families and children during the fair, such as a petting zoo, games, an air bouncy and playground access at Goat Hill.

The driving range opens at 10:30 a.m. and lunch is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. The golf tournament’s shotgun start is at 1 p.m.

The Blind Fold Monks band will perform from 6 to 8 p.m. with dinner, awards and a live auction.

Admission to the health fair is free. The fair plus lunch costs $40; $20 for youths under age 18. Golf gamer package is $50.

Register at birdease.com/ goatforjoe. For questions, call (760) 846-8103.