The HOPE Squad of Carbon, Emery and Grand Counties has two upcoming events scheduled for September’s National Suicide Prevention Month. Castle Country Radio was able to sit down with Suicide Prevention Specialist, Amanda McIntosh to discuss all the details.
“We are extremely excited to host another annual World Suicide Prevention Day Candlelight Vigil taking place on Saturday, September 10, which is World Suicide Prevention Day. We’ll be meeting at the Price City Peace Garden from 7:30 pm to about 9:00 pm and everybody’s welcome to come out and just honor those that we have lost to suicide and show your love and support and light to those who are still struggling and the survivors of course,” stated McIntosh. This assembly is a way to raise awareness and offer support for family members and friends touched by suicide.
Then a week later there will be another event taking place called Walk to Fight Suicide. “We’re going to do our annual HOPE walk and we are partnering with American Foundation of Suicide Prevention this year which is super exciting. We’re going to meet on Saturday, September 17 starting at 10:00 am, we’ll start registration at the Price Peace Garden, we’re hoping to have a food truck, we have a couple of live entertainments set up, as well as honor beads and things of that nature,” stated McIntosh. Working with the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention will open many doors and resources to the community as well as its residents.
It takes special donors and sponsors to help fund these community gatherings. The HOPE Squad of Carbon, Emery and Grand Counties has tapered off the last few years in asking for donations because of the COVID pandemic. They are now looking for businesses, organizations and individuals to help monetarily with the two upcoming events. “So if you’re a business that would like to donate to the HOPE Squad of Carbon, Emery and Grand Counties Walk to Fight Suicide, to the ASFP or the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention Walk please get a hold of me and we can definitely get you set up with that donation process. If you would like to come out and just have a table at the event so you can show off the services or products that you have, also get in touch with me and we can make sure that we have space for you to do that as well,” explained McIntosh.
To learn more about the HOPE Squad of Carbon, Emery and Grand Counties or to get in contact with Amanda McIntosh please visit the Southeast Utah Health Department website at https://www.seuhealth.com/