September 10 will mark World Suicide Awareness Day and the Hope Squad of Carbon, Emery and Grand counties will mark the occasion with a gathering at the Peace Gardens in Price.

The month of September is also Suicide Awareness Month and is used as a time to bring attention to issue of suicide across the United States. Utah is consistently in the top 10 states across the nation since 2013.  And recently Amanda McIntosh of the Hope Squad joined us to talk about some research that has been done to give us some ideas as to why that maybe the case.

“One of the reasons or one of the hypotheses is because of our elevation. And because when you’re at a higher elevation your brain synapses aren’t clicking as fast and so your problem solving skills aren’t able to come up with safe alternatives and it goes to the negative for some reason. They also talk about religion plays a part in it, but one of the main reasons that Utah is consistently in the highest states is we’re of that society where out in the West it’s pull yourself up by your bootstraps you don’t air your dirty laundry so you don’t talk about your mental health.”

The event will begin at 6 p.m. in the Price City Peace Gardens. There will be the presentation of the flags by American Legion Post #3, and then a keynote speech will be given by Price City Fire Chief Fitzgerald Petersen.

There will also be musical and dance performances as well as a booth stroll, where different agencies in the area will be providing information on mental health services and other organizations that are available to the public.

For the kids there will be temporary tattoos and sidewalk chalk art and if you haven’t had dinner yet, Angel’s Cravings will be there selling food and other refreshments.

The evening will end with a candle light vigil starting at 8 p.m., the Hope squad will be providing battery operated candles.

“World Suicide Prevention and Awareness Day is probably my favorite day of the year, only because I get to see all my  brothers and sisters, survivors of suicide loss. We all lead our own lives and it’s really these events that bring us back together so that we can connect again.”

If you have any questions about the event, please contact Amanda McIntosh at (435) 637-3671