An event Saturday, September 6, in Springfield is designed to build community and honor those lost to suicide.
ONE Step to Save a Life is a group walk around downtown Springfield, starting at 1:30, hosted by Burrell Behavioral Health.
It’s being held during Suicide Prevention Month.
Jeanne Coburn is a licensed professional counselor with Burrell. She said it’s for anyone concerned about mental health or suicide prevention, people who have lost a loved one to suicide or people who have made an attempt in the past.
"As we walk, we're going to be contemplating about our lives and our journeys and the things that happen in our lives and our walk through life and ending with hope," she said. "The hope that life goes on and life is wonderful in spite of the fact that we have losses, and we've lost the people that we've loved because they wouldn't want us to be miserable without them, and we want them to know that we're honoring them through our actions and our deeds here in Springfield."
Coburn said the Burrell Be Well community will have stations along the path for people to stop and experience mindfulness activities and to focus on their own mental health.
There will be a chance to write positive messages in chalk on the square. And walkers will have the opportunity to carry signs with the names of their loved ones or pin to their clothes the names of those they’ve lost to suicide.
"They can write messages to loved ones that they've lost or someone that they are concerned about," said Coburn. "They can draw pictures...the sidewalk is going to be filled with positive and helpful and hopeful and inspiring and motivational works that people can share with others."
There will also be vendors focused on suicide prevention that will share information and resources.
The event focuses on community and bringing people together because, as Coburn said, having conversations about suicide "lessens the ability for people to go into isolation and it brings them out of that isolated spot and more willing to share and seek help and find people who can talk with them and support them through a difficult time."
You can register for the free event here.
If you or someone you know is thinking about suicide, call 988 to be directed to help.
