BAKERSFIELD - Many people gathered this morning in Southwest Bakersfield to raise awareness for mental illness.

The walk in Kern County is part of National Mental Illness Awareness week.  This is the 6 ^th year for the event.  Organizers say the walk helps reduce the stigma of mental illness.  It also helps raise thousands of dollars for the association.

Several teams registered this year including a group of nursing students from Bakersfield College.  They call themselves “Second Semester Rocks,” and helped raise more than $1,300.

“It’s really important for people to understand mental illness because a lot of people have false beliefs, they are unsure of what’s really going on, the aspects of mental illness and how it’s a real disease process,” nursing student and walker, Todd Yeomans.

Organizers say this year’s walk raise more than $14,000.