The Southeastern Utah Health Department along with the HOPE Squad will be hosting their Fifth Annual HOPE Walk on Friday, September 8 at 6:00 pm beginning at the Price City Peace Garden. The walk is open to all ages to honor families, as well as survivors of suicide. Event organizers encourage attendees to wear yellow, which is the symbol of suicide prevention.

“We are really excited to offer this – suicide prevention is something that everyone should come out and support to bring awareness to it,” said Health Educator, Debbie Marvidikis (MAR-VA-DAH-KUSS). Participants may walk, run or ride bikes up to Washington Park where they will be able to enjoy a dinner provided by Castleview Hospital. The evening will feature guest speakers, live music entertainment.

The HOPE squad was established back in 2013 because of the rise in suicides in both Carbon and Emery Counties. The non-profit organization has made it an urgency to bring awareness and support to community members by educating them on the prevention of suicide. “We have had more than our share, that’s why it’s so important to bring awareness that suicide is preventable. For years’ people thought, well there’s nothing that we can do about that, but that’s just not true. The good thing about it is you don’t have to be a psychiatrist or a physician to save someone’s life, you just have to care,” stated Marvidikis.

The organization offers training for families, church groups, and businesses. Just one person who gets the training on how to prevent suicide goes home and trains six other people; so it’s a great program that grows all by itself.

If you would like more information about the HOPE Squad or would like to be a part of the organization, you can call Debbie at the Health Department at 637-3671.