Chapter News from Around the Country
Summer 2010
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| AFSP-Arkansas |
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The chapter held its first Crawfish Boil on May 1 at the Rivermarket
Pavilion in Little Rock
- AFSP-AR recently held its first Spring Crawfish Boil on May 1 at the Rivermarket Pavilion in Little Rock. Despite the threat of severe weather, over 100 people attended the event.
- Education outreach continues as the More Than Sad: Teen Depression film was shown at schools throughout the state. Over 2,000 Arkansas students have viewed the film.
- The chapter has partnered with other local organizations to form the Arkansas Suicide Prevention Network. In January, Gov. Mike Beebe, Attorney General Dustin McDaniel, David Laffoon, director of the Division of Behavioral Health Services, and Maj. Gen. William Wofford of the Arkansas National Guard signed a state suicide prevention plan. On Feb. 24, the first Arkansas Suicide Prevention Network Call to Action Conference took place at Camp Robinson. Gov. Beebe was the special guest speaker and the chapter was well represented with eight board members attending.
- Board members Wendy Thompson and Candy McMahan presented a workshop on Suicide Prevention and Surviving the Loss of a Loved One to Suicide at the 2010 National Gathering of Bereaved Parents of the USA in Little Rock, July 9-11.
- Upcoming plans are in the works for a September Town Hall meeting to coincide with Suicide Prevention Month activities in Arkansas.
- Save the date for the third Out of the Darkness Community Walk to be held Sept. 25 at Riverfront Park in Little Rock.
| AFSP-Metro Atlanta |
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Board member Karen Copija releases a dove during ceremonies at
the Suwanee Campus Walk on May 8
- Advocacy: Jerry and Elsie Weyrauch, founders of SPAN USA, have been named the chapter’s official field advocates. Several AFSP supporters attended the annual Suicide Prevention Day at the Georgia Capitol in April.
- Education: The AFSP college film was donated to new schools attending the Georgia College Suicide Prevention Conference in April; the chapter attended the Health Fair at Georgia Tech, and a presentation was done for the Partnership Against Domestic Violence in May; and AFSP's Interactive Screening Program has started at Georgia College and State University.
- Survivor: Several supporters and board members were placed on the 2010 Lifekeeper Memory Quilt. Email FOSquilts@span-ga.org to have your loved one placed on a Georgia quilt. National Survivors of Suicide Day at the Dorothy C. Fuqua Center in Atlanta is being planned.
- Fundraising: In May, Harmony for Life at Eddie’s Attic was attended by 130 people, and raised $6,411; the Open Arms Benefit at Graveyard Tavern was attended by 400 and raised $508; the Suwanee Out of the Darkness Campus Walk was attended by 70 and raised $3,400; the Wine Dinner at Casa Nuova was attended by 51 and raised $3,070; and proceeds from the Johnny Leathers Jr. Memorial Golf Tournament will fund the second year of the ISP at Agnes Scott College and first year of the ISP at Emory University.
| AFSP-Southern Connecticut |
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Chapter Treasurer Russ Cooper and Tim Larson, manager of
Barcelona Restaurant
- The chapter recently held a fundraiser in Norwalk titled "Barcelona Helps Saves Lives." Barcelona Restaurant donated 50 percent of any customer's bill that day if they mentioned they were there for AFSP. The amount raised was $1,800.
| AFSP-Central Florida |
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The chapter showcased its community programs at their own
Mental Health Matters at Tiger Town event on June 19
- Chapter President Ann Dumont presented at the Orange County Victim's Advocacy annual meeting in April.
- Chapter members volunteered at the AAS conference in Orlando in April, and attended the healing conference where the lifekeeper quilts were displayed.
- A presentation to the Florida State Sheriffs Association was made by Chapter Chair Marie Dudek in April.
- The chapter exhibited at the NAMI-Greater Orlando walk in May.
- More Than Sad: Preventing Teen Suicide was presented by Marie Dudek to the Florida School Health Association in May.
- A Grief After Suicide workshop was presented to 80+ bereavement ministers from the Archdiocese of Orlando in May by Sally Kopke, Ann Dumont and Marie Dudek.
- Kevin E. Watson Memorial Golf Tournament benefiting the chapter was held on June 5 in Casselberry.
- Mental Health Matters at Tiger Town event on June 19 brought agencies and organizations dealing with mental health and substance abuse together to showcase their community programs in Lakeland. This event was created by the chapter.
- PolkCounty TV interviewed Marie Dudek and Dan Lauer of the Flying Tigers about the Mental Health Matters event for the Polk Cares TV show
- Polk Voice featured the Mental Health Matters event as their cover story on June 2.
- Chapter member Stacey Price participated in the Belk Charity Day on May 1 in Leesburg.
- An "Understanding Depression" webcast was presented by Marie Dudek on May 5 through the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare's "May is Mental Health Month" webinar series.
| AFSP-Florida First Coast |
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Chapter members Jean Cockriel and Kathy Sumrow receive a
$2,040 check from Ruth McDonald (right)
- “Savor Life to Save a Life” was the theme of the chapter Spring Fundraiser. Events were held on June 8, June 15 and June 22 at three local Jacksonville Mojo Bar-B-Que restaurants.
- On May 24, Chapter Chair Kathy Sumrow and Secretary Jean Cockriel accepted a check for $2,040 from Ruth McDonald. These funds were from the inaugural Jacksonville Great Date Sweepstakes held by Ruth and her family in memory of her brother, Thomas Kane, who took his life last year. The chapter greatly appreciates this very generous donation.
- On May 12, Karen Hamilton, Stephanie Hembree, Liz Colavecchhio, Chelsea Currie and Kim Sumrow did a presentation of More Than Sad to 50 youths at a local Baptist Church.
AFSP-Florida Southeast
- Congratulations to the chapter's newly-elected officers: President Dr. Garrie B. Thompson III; Chairman Michelle Turner; Treasurer Bonnie Harding; and Secretary Norman Fine.
- Suicide Prevention Education Programs Ongoing: Suicide Prevention DVDs shown to help destigmatize mental health issues; "Depression and Bipolar Awareness: From Diagnosis to Remission" shown at community mental health meetings; More Than Sad, piloted in two Palm Beach County high schools; and The Truth about Suicide: Real Stories of Depression in College shown on Broward and Palm Beach County college campuses.
- Out of the Darkness Community Walks:
- Miami-Dade County Walk -- University of Miami, Coral Gables, Sunday, Oct. 24. Chairs: Dr. Charles Nemeroff, chairman, department of psychiatry and behavioral sciences, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine; James Allen, county attorney.
- Broward County Walk -- Nova Southeastern University, Sunday, Nov. 21. Chairs: Lorena Cabrera, Lambda Theta Alpha Latin Sorority and Michelle Manley.
- Palm Beach County Walk -- John Prince Park, Sunday, Nov. 7. Chair, Paul Horn.
- Fundraising is “Fun-raising” for AFSP-FLSE:
- The annual awards luncheon was a great success. New fun events for our summer/fall season:
- Evening at the IMPROV Comedy Club, City Place, WPB -- July 15.
- Bloomingdale’s Shopping Event, Oct. 20 and 21. (Tickets $10 each.)
- Annual Survivors Conference -- 9 a.m., Nov. 20. North Broward Medical Center Conference Center, 201 E. Sample Road, Deerfield Beach.
AFSP-Indiana
- Join the chapter this fall for the Out of the Darkness Community Walks in Indianapolis, Munster, Chesterton, Fowler, Richmond and Bloomington. Please visit OutOfTheDarkness.org for more details.
- If you are interested in receiving the chapter's newsletter with updates for the state of Indiana, interested in volunteering with the chapter or starting AFSP efforts in your area, please contact Chapter Chair Lisa Brattain at (317) 774-1377 or lbrattain4afsp@aol.com.
- On April 27, Rep. Dan Burton received the 2010 Allies for Action award from AFSP/SPAN USA at the annual Friend for Life Reception in Washington, D.C. Burton was recognized for leading a bipartisan effort in the House of Representatives urging President Obama to change the White House policy on condolence letters to military families bereaved by suicide. Currently, letters are not sent if a service member takes their own life while on active duty. Congrats to Rep. Burton!
- The Indiana Survivor Support Committee is currently working on the 2010 Lifekeeper Quilt. If you are interested in creating a quilt square for a loved one lost by suicide, please contact Lisa Davis, committee coordinator and quilt organizer, at (317) 774-1377 or lisadavis4afsp@hotmail.com. All the necessary materials will be provided for you to create your square. You will need to mail it back to the chapter to be sewn into the quilt. The plan is to have the quilt available for viewing during the 2010 walk season.
AFSP-Los Angeles
- The chapter participated in the County Department of Mental Health 50th Anniversary Symposium, which included speakers Mariette Hartley, Carol Graham and Stephen Peck. The event focused on mental health services for military and veterans.
- Second annual All in for Life event was held on June 5. Over 100 people enjoyed an evening of Texas Hold ‘Em, Blackjack and a silent auction.
- The chapter and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center co-hosted the program “Depression and Bipolar Awareness: From Diagnosis to Remission." The program was held at Cedars-Sinai and included a question and answer session with Dr. Anand Pandya, vice chair, department of psychiatry.
- Walks are being planned for Los Angeles, Bakersfield, Irvine, Riverside, Camarillo, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara and Fresno.
- National Survivors of Suicide Day programs are set for Los Angeles, Thousand Oaks, Bakersfield and Irvine.
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