Luminate the Day: CrossFit and Mental Health Aid Joining Forces to Build Community

In 2016, David Halvorson was a Michigan State student pursuing a finance degree when he felt directionless. 

Unfortunately, he had recently lost friends who had died by suicide, and he felt like he was going through an identity crisis.

Halvorson felt as though he wasn’t likely to have the impact on the world he envisioned himself having if he continued down the path of becoming a Wall Street banker.

Halvorson pivoted, wanting to create something that actively gave back to the community.

• “I started with a clothing brand, working with local designers and print shops, and it turned into a nonprofit in 2020,” Halvorson told the Morning Chalk Up. 
• “My fiancé runs a different foundation on the drug and rehab side, so we were witnessing this mental decline in the youth. I figured I could turn my brand into something that actively has boots-on-the-ground operations trying to do something in the mental health initiative community,” he continued. 

Fast forward to 2024 and Halvorson’s annual event, “Luminate the Day”, a nonprofit fitness competition for wellness and mental health, is heading into its third year.

A Look Back — Luminary Fitness and Windy Willow Are Born

In late 2020, Halvorson and his friend Tyler Cole were lifting weights out of a storage unit due to COVID-19.

• Cole saw an opportunity to buy a gym space and start a fitness community. He named it Luminary Fitness.

At the same time, Halvorson founded “Windy Willow”, now the host organization of “Luminate the Day,” as a “program designed to provide access, advocacy and action for mental health initiatives.” The organization runs entirely on donations.

• Halvorson describes the mission of the organization: “We’re trying to create a conduit of resources. The hardest part about getting mental health services oftentimes is understanding where you fall on the insurance scale, understanding what is allowed for your co-pay, and what your deductible is.” 

The nitty-gritty of finding a mental health service provider and navigating the business side of it can be complicated to understand for people who are desperate for services.

• Halvorson wanted to streamline this process: “Our goal was to break down the barriers on the financial side, providing a grant program for people who have trouble finding balances or are trying to get into services. We cultivate local resources and partnerships where we can direct or refer people to specified services.”

“Luminate the Day”

A coach at Luminary Fitness, Aaron Norris, had the idea of combining the gym and Halvorson’s Windy Willow. 

Norris wanted a community event with local gyms to unite people. 

When Halvorson got wind of it, he suggested making the event more meaningful and impactful and doing it for a more significant cause.

• “We created this event to raise funds, with an inviting atmosphere for people to join and learn about us. We wanted it to be electric and have a quality event that makes everyone feel included,” he said.
• “Our goal is to raise money and social awareness at the same time, but since we were a business before we were a non-profit, I wanted to do even more. We modeled ourselves after TOMS Shoes and their business model.”

This will be the third year of the event, and the similarities between the organization and the function of a CrossFit gym are not lost on Halvorson, especially when it comes to helping men specifically.

• Halvorson speaks about it: “It is important to break down stereotypes. Often, in a CrossFit gym, it’s testosterone and ego with the guys. But by giving them the comfort and the space to be able to talk about things when they’re going on and be a bit more human, it leads to better things.”

CrossFitters are at their most vulnerable when they finish their workout, lying on the floor, feeling like they are dying. The goal is to take that power and channel it into other parts of their lives.

• “Organically, the gym creates the space to allow people to grow, physically and mentally,” Halvorson continued.
• “The community is vital. And you tie that to mental health — sometimes, as a CrossFit coach, you are a therapist; people tell you their problems and share their lives with you. I think the one thing we all need is that community.”

Head here to learn more about “Luminate the Day” on May 18th and register to compete or donate! 

Featured Image: Christina Vera (@christinaveracreative / Instagram)