Breaking the Ice on Mental Health - The 2025 Wheeler Ice Bucket Challenge
In honor of May is Mental Health Month, seven senior leaders at Wheeler Health will take a bucket of chilly ice water over their heads to raise awareness of mental health, the need for services, and support the organization.
For each $500 cumulatively raised in support of Wheeler by May 1 in his honor, Vice President of Marketing Communications and Philanthropic Giving John Sponauer will take one bucket of ice water dumped over his head. Contributions can be any amount.
Joining him in their own drives are colleagues:
- Deborah A Batsie-Hernandez, MS, LMFT, Senior Director, Children's Community-based Services
- Rebecca Eleck, MD, Primary Care Medical Director
- Amanda Pratte, MBA, Senior Director of Health Center Operations, Waterbury
- Catherine Sisco, MPA, CPS, Senior Director of Prevention, Wellness, and Recovery
- Melissa Wagner, SHRM-SCP, Vice President of Human Resources
- Michael P. Twist, DO, Psychiatric Medical Director
Buckets will be dumped on the participants in early May in honor of May is Mental Health Month.
"Every family in America is affected by mental health, including my own," says Sponauer, who was approached about the idea following the recent resurgence of the viral ice bucket challenge from the early 2010s. Several staff asked if they could do their own buckets, to raise awareness, and the idea took hold.
"We need to normalize asking for help, seeking services, and telling our friends and loved ones that it's OK to talk about this topic," he says. "We have to learn to break the ice sometimes about mental health with the people we love."
"I hope they have fun," said Wheeler President and CEO Sabrina Trocchi, PhD, MPA, without a trace of irony in her voice. "Kidding aside, I'm very proud of our leaders for publicly showing their dedication to ensuring that mental health services are effective and available to everyone. Thank you to all of our donors, who support Wheeler's mission, vision, and values every day."
Donors can support the campaign on the form below. Any donation to Wheeler, for any fund or purpose, counts toward the challenge. Please be sure to name the honoree who is getting the water poured on them, as instructed below.
Questions? Please contact giving@wheelerhealth.org.
To contribute, please use the form below, and select the checkbox that says "This Gift Is In Honor, Memory, or in Support of Someone." Then simply enter the name of the person you wish to support! If you'd like the honoree to know that you gave, please check that box as well when it's presented.
RELATED LINKS
- Services at Wheeler - Since 1968, Wheeler has been a leader in community-based in-home and outpatient behavioral health services. Learn about our full range of programs across Connecticut for all ages.
- Wheeler's Family Health & Wellness Centers - Providing outpatient individual, family, and group treatments for mental health, and with walk-in access to care.
- Treatment for Depression and Anxiety at Wheeler
- Connecticut Clearinghouse
- Mobile Crisis - If you or a loved one are in crisis, please call 211. Wheeler is the state's largest provider of mobile crisis services.
