5th Annual Bringing Light into Darkness
Brought to you by:
Thursday, September 11, 2025
4:30pm – 9:30pm
Held at the HVMHC Winona Clinic location – 420 East Sarnia St
Join us for an evening of music, fun, food, learning and community connection as we explore mental health. This event is to raise awareness of the darkness that mental health and addiction can evoke, but through darkness there is a light of hope that can build resiliency and recovery. The Johnny Holm Band will highlight the evening by playing under the tent from 7:30pm – 9:30pm. HVMHC Executive Director, Erik Sievers, Winona County Commissioner and WSHS Teacher, Dwayne Voegeli, and Laura Sutherland highlight the speakers on the main stage from 6:30 – 7:15pm. Explore the resource fair, available services offered, food trucks and more from 4:30-9:30pm. This is a free community event, and everyone is invited to join us!
Live music under the tent from 7:30pm-9:30pm featuring The Johnny Holm Band
Click on the photo to experience a thrilling performance by The Johnny Holm Band
Join us under the tent from 7:30pm-9:30pm and enjoy music from The Johnny Holm Band. Known for their incredible versatility, The Johnny Holm Band effortlessly navigates through all genres and eras of hits, transforming any event into a non-stop dance party. They thrive on audience engagement, turning each performance into a unique and unforgettable experience where the fans are truly part of the show.
You are encouraged to bring a chair or blanket for seating.
Free Children’s Events from 4:30 – 7:30
In the back parking lot
The kid’s area is loaded with free entertainment. Enjoy an inflatable bounce house and inflatable obstacle course. Take a ride on the tractor pulled barrel train, shoot some hoops at the basketball station, or make some noise with the Boom Station!
Registration Table (4:30 – 8:00pm)
Located in the back parking lot at the entrance to the Resource Fair
Sign up for a chance to win door prizes by registering. Registration will be open from 4:30pm-8:00pm with door prize drawings taking place on stage during the Johnny Holm Band intermission (roughly 8:30pm). There will be FREE 60th Anniversary bags available to the first 1,000 people to visit the registration table.
Winona Chamber Ambassadors Ribbon Cutting & Community Speakers 6:30-7:15
Located on the Stage in the back parking lot
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6:30pm: Winona Chamber Ambassadors Ribbon Cutting & 60th Anniversary Recognition
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6:30pm: Erik Sievers, HVMHC Executive Director – Welcoming Address
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6:40pm: Lee, a Winona community member, to share her story of calling HVMHC’s Crisis Line
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6:45pm – Dwayne Voegeli (WSHS teacher) & students – Mr. Voegeli and Students from the Winona Senior Highschool will talk about the launch of the HOPE Squad peer support program starting up at the Winona Senior High this school year.
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7:00pm – Laura Sutherland, Attorney & Southeast AMHI Regional Coordinator – Living with and Healing From an “Invisible Condition.”
Food Trucks 4:30-9:30
Located in the back parking lot
Celebrating HVMHC – 60 Years of Service, 60 Years of Stories
Located inside – Garden Room 4:30 – 7:30
Join us in the Garden Room for an insightful event where you can explore the heart of Hiawatha Valley Mental Health Center and celebrate 60 years of service.
You’ll have the opportunity to view inspiring success stories from our clients, showcasing their journeys of resilience and recovery while exploring the services offered at HVMHC. Guests are encouraged to use the memory wall, a space where you can create a memorial for those lost to suicide, overdose, or who struggled with their mental health, honoring their lives and legacies.
Also witness the unveiling of Through Reflections We See Ourselves—the capstone of a summer-long creative reflection program. Led by Mental Health Practitioner and Art Educator Andy Kranz, participants explored sketching, journaling, and museum visits in the Twin Cities, culminating in this collective artwork that reflects personal growth, self-expression, and shared experiences. Funded by the Southeastern Minnesota Arts Council and the Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund, the project exemplifies the healing power of creativity and community connection.
Free Winona Transit Route 6:00pm-10:30pm September 11th.
Last pickup from HVMHC will be at 10:00 PM!
The regularly scheduled Winona Transit Routes run until 6:15pm on Thursday nights. This special route will run from 6:00pm – 10:30pm with the last pickup from HVMHC being at 10:00pm. This is free to the whole community, provided by HVMHC and our event sponsors. With limited parking available on site take advantage of this free opportunity to be dropped off and picked up.
2025 Bringing Light into Darkness Sponsors
Community Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Silver Sponsors
Gold Sponsors
Platinum Sponsors
Diamond Sponsors
