Raiders’ Darren Waller, Lady Gaga foundation boost charity event

Lady Gaga’s mother, Cynthia Germanotta, and the superstar’s Born This Way Foundation is bolstering Saturday’s Hope Means Nevada youth-suicide prevention campaign at 10 a.m. Saturday. The campaign is focusing on mental wellness during this uncommonly distressing period known as 2020.

The Rising Hope Festival is set for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at HopeMeansNevada.org. Hope Means Nevada is a community-based, nonprofit organization focused on eliminating youth suicide in the state.

For Saturday’s online event, expect appearances and testimonials from Nick Carter of Backstreet Boys, tennis legend Andre Agassi, UFC great Randy Couture, Las Vegas Raiders tight end Darren Waller and Germanotta. Veteran Vegas headliner, event emcee and philanthropist Jeff Civillico co-hosts along with UNLV freshman Valerie Almirola.

The virtual fundraiser will showcase a variety of entertaining and informative programming reaching out to teens and their parents, families, counselors and anyone to learn more about how to safeguard their own mental health and that of their friends and loved ones. Topics to be addressed include anxiety and depression, bullying, sexual orientation and peer pressure.

Gaga herself has said, “I believe that the most inexpensive and perhaps the best medicine in the world is words. Kind words … positive words … words that help people who feel ashamed of an invisible illness to overcome their shame and feel free.”

Her message has caught on in Las Vegas, where her residency at Park Theater is on hold.

“When everything went online, we lost much of our social interaction. The only way to connect with friends was through social media or texting them,” said Caroline Edgeworth, Nevada 11th-grader and Hope Means Nevada Teen Committee co-chair. “People feel a lot more isolated. Rising Hope will be full of helpful resources to help teens and their families and friends constructively get through this difficult situation.”

Hope Means Nevada’s 65-member teen committee representing high schools around the state meets monthly to discuss volunteer activities and ways to engage. Co-chaired by Edgeworth and her 10th-grade sister, Lauren Edgeworth, the teen committee has been involved in developing the content for the Rising Hope virtual festival.

“Although the Rising Hope Festival is focused on teens, the programming is for all ages,” Hope Means Nevada co-founder, Julie Murray said. “Mental health problems can affect anyone, and we are here to support each other and save lives. One death is one too many.”

John Katsilometes’ column runs daily in the A section. His “PodKats!” podcast can be found at reviewjournal.com/podcasts. Contact him at jkatsilometes@reviewjournal.com. Follow @johnnykats on Twitter, @JohnnyKats1 on Instagram.