An August 20 fund-raiser in Rossford will be dedicated to raising awareness of the need for mental health advocacy. 2 Tuff 2 Talk, a suicide prevention and mental health awareness program for northwest Ohio union construction workers, will host Clash of the Contractors from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., at the NECA Electricians Local 8 shelter, 727 Lime City Road. Admission is free to all union construction workers and their families. The family-friendly event will feature teams of workers competing in multiple tournaments including wiffleball, volleyball, cornhole and tug of war.

There also will be a children’s area, food trucks, beer tent and 50/50 raffles. Local bands Madison Avenue and East River Drive will be performing as well. OSHA area director Todd Jensen will be one of the participants in the dunk tank. In addition to support from industry partners, contractors and unions, the presenting sponsors are Mercy Health and Moriarty Machinery & Supply as well as supporting sponsors Laibe Electric and Foundation Steel.

Funds raised from Clash of the Contractors through sponsorships, team signups, raffles, food and beverage sales will support 2 Tuff 2 Talk’s programing in mentorship, advocacy, education and guidance for contractors to include mental health as a significant part of their training and orientations.

According to the Construction Industry Alliance for Suicide Prevention, there are 5,500 suicides among construction workers per year. At 15 suicides daily, this is 3.5 times greater than the national average.

Babette Burnett, president of 2 Tuff 2 Talk, shared her personal experience with suicide in the workplace and how it inspired her to pursue creating the organization with fellow safety colleagues.

“In 2019, 1,061 construction workers died from work-related injuries, while about 5,500 workers died of suicide,” said Ms. Burnett, director of health and safety for the Spieker Co. of Northwood.

“In 2016, we had a female carpenter apprentice who committed suicide,” she explained. “I watched how it affected my crews in the field, the cost and finance of it, the emotional part of it.”

That experience led her to help form the 2 Tuff 2 Talk program through the Associated General Contractors of Northwest Ohio Inc.

The voluntary organization helps union construction workers and their families in northwest Ohio navigate mental health issues by educating front line supervisors, providing resources and guiding them through roadblocks in the mental health system.