Tim Poferl was a great guy.  At 26 years old, he had a great job, owned a house, had plenty of friends, 

 

and a family that loved him dearly.  He loved to run, and really pushed himself to stay physically active.  

 

He had everything going for him – except, he silently was battling depression.  Despite the bright future 

 

ahead of him, Tim had a hard time finding happiness.  He struggled privately for years, until he took his 

 

own life in October, 2014.

 

 

The dark cloud of depression is hard to understand, and can be hard to identify or diagnose.  Many 

 

people struggle with this terrible disease, but don’t know how to find help, or how to talk about it with 

 

people that care about them most.   The stigma around depression and suicide makes it really hard for 

 

people to talk about it, and it must be addressed.  The only way to do this is to help everyone 

 

understand it is okay to talk about it.

 

 

You can make a difference.  Please join us for Run with the Herd, a 5K run/walk that honors the memory 

 

of Tim Poferl.  By joining the event, we will collectively raise awareness of the issues, and also raise 

 

money to help programs that help prevent suicide, and support families and friends that have lost 

 

someone in this tragic manner.  

 

 

Yes, Tim Poferl was a great guy.  One thing he and his friends discussed was determining their own 

 

“spirit animal” – Tim’s was the Bison.  The Bison prefers to travel in herds, and is fiercely protective and 

 

loyal.   They are social animals within their circle, and the most dominant male bison protects the herd.  

 

Tim’s friends called him Papa Bison – it says a lot about how much they appreciated and respected him.  

 

What better way to honor his memory than to Run With the Herd on August 20th.

 

 

Depression is a treatable medical illness marked by changes in mood, thoughts, energy and behavior 

 

that affects more than 23 million adult Americans each year.  It is the most common serious brain 

 

disease in the United States.  SAVE’s mission is to prevent suicide through public awareness and 

 

education, reduce stigma, and serve as a resource for those touched by suicide.

 

 

What can your gift do?  It can help raise money for a cause that can spread a message to young adults 

 

regarding symptoms of depression and how to deal with thoughts of suicide through SAVE’s educational 

 

programs.  It can help us distribute grief packets to families dealing with the loss of a loved one to their 

 

battle with depression.  It can help SAVE lives.

 

 

We hope to see you there. Tim would’ve loved it!