“The fact that we have a platform like this is just amazing,” Markovich said. “As a representative of CareSource, we’re always looking to improve the physical and mental health of our members, especially adolescents and young adults. There’s a mental health crisis in this country right now.
“We’re getting the word out, letting these kids know that there’s a lot of help out there. I always say, even to my own kids, it’s OK to not be OK. It’s something so simple. Just hearing somebody say that to you can change your life.“
Markovich will deliver that message in a public setting, but his message comes from his own private experiences.
“It’s very personal for me,“ he said. ”My oldest son struggled with some mental health challenges. The fact that we get the opportunity to get the word out and raise money for coach Grant’s daughter’s foundation, it’s a double win for us on a lot of levels."
Credit: David Jablonski
Credit: David Jablonski
The event starts at 11 a.m. Students in grades six through 12, from around the Dayton area, will attend.
The pep rally is part of a series of events sponsored by CareSource.
At 2 p.m. Sunday, Dayton and Penn State will play in an exhibition game that will raise funds for mental health awareness. CareSource will present a $50,000 donation to Jay’s Light.
On Monday in the CareSource Invitational, Northern Kentucky will play Ashland at 6 p.m., and Wright State will play Ohio 30 minutes after the first game. Those two men’s basketball games will also “raise awareness and funds for resources that empower children and teens to thrive,” according to a CareSource press release. At the game, CareSource will present a $25,000 check to South Community Behavioral Health in Moraine.
Tickets cost $20 and are available on Ticketmaster.com. Fans can attend both games with one ticket.
According to CareSource, “Buyers can indicate which school they support during the ticket purchasing process, and schools will receive 100% of these sales. For additional information about purchasing tickets, contact your school’s ticket office. For ticket sales without a school selected, as well as day of event walk up purchases, 100% of ticket revenue will be donated to Jay’s Light.”
For the second straight year, CareSource will sponsor other games around the country. Cincinnati will play an exhibition game at Arkansas on Oct. 24. On Dec. 6, Indiana will play Louisville at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in the CareSource Invitational Indianapolis.
Markovich praised the Grants for starting this movement with the first mental health exhibition game against Ohio State in 2023. A mental health expo and the Spotlight Town Hall discussion preceded that game at UD Arena, and the same event took place in 2024 before an exhibition game against Xavier.
Earlier this month, the Grants spoke at an event where the College-Age Intensive Outpatient Program was launched. It’s a four-to-six week program started by seven local health care systems and colleges. Chris Grant now serves on the board of the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation.
The Grant’s mission continues with the event for kids taking the place of the Spotlight Town Hall.
“I’m inspired by their courage to speak up and turn this tragedy into something positive,” Markovich said. “They are role models, not only for the greater Dayton community, but I think the country in general for parents who have had to deal with the unthinkable. They’ve managed to turn this into something so positive.
“I remember (Grant) said at our very first town hall, ‘Life is better with you in it.’ That was his message to the people in the arena at the time. Getting kids to talk about it, normalizing the discussions around mental health, that’s what they’re doing. They’re making a huge impact.”
Credit: David Jablonski
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