Week 16

Hey Friends,

I hope everyone had a great week! This week was not as busy as previous weeks. Monday was great, and I just want to thank-you all again that came out and supported the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. I've been in contact with a YMCA to see if we are able to do a Zumba class/fundraiser, and the process has seem to be taking a long to, so I've been checking into doing other fundraisers. Though I still am holding a fundraiser on June 14th, a car wash.
I'll be checking out some new fundraiser ideas, and try to manage when to have them. The date is vastly approaching of the walk, June 27th. I'll be seeing the gym more than anything else with the short time I have left to train.
This next week I will be at the beach, so I will be soaking up the sun, and will not have a new post. I hope you all have a good holiday break and enjoy your long weekend! Thanks to all that are making this possible!

Fundraiser At Old Country Buffet

Hey Everyone,

I just want to thank everyone that came out and supported the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention on Monday May 18th. Over 60 people came and supported the cause, thank-you sooooo much. I met some very amazing people who were very intrigued by the cause and took a flyer or my card. I gave so many cards away that I ran out. Since the event I've noticed people have viewed the site more, thanks for checking it out! People came from family to friends to co-workers to people that I didn't even know. It really meant a lot to me that you all came, showing that my mother is not being forgotten and her death is somehow helping to save others. Thank-you all that have been supporting me the whole way through this, you all give me strength to keep going!
It will take a few weeks to know the amount raised, and I will let you all know how we did! Thank-you all again for your support!

Photos of May 18th Fundraiser

Week 15

Hey Friends,

I hope everyone had a great week! This was another busy week, full of typing and sending many e-mails. I sent many e-mails to radio stations, but sadly I did not get any replies. Though I did send an e-mail to a news station and they said they were going to see what they can do, thank-you sooo much. Well I've tried to get the news out about the fundraiser on Monday May 18th at the Old Country Buffet, I'm keeping my fingers crossed. I hope to see all of your smiling faces there!
I started doing a kick-boxing class this week with my awesome friend Jessica to help get me in shape for the LARGE walk in Chicago on June 27th (18 miles). My finals just ended this week so I am dedicated to eating healthy and saying bye to those sweets that had once helped to keep me up late. Dan is being a great helper in getting me to eat healthy, thanks!
On Friday I went and gave a speech to a group of teens at the Salvation Army. Once again I was very nervous, but I'm hoping I got the message across. I had a lot of fun, and the teens were amazing. Thank-you all so much for letting me come out and for listening to my fast pace talking!
Well my friends, I need to get things ready for tomorrow. I hope you all have a great week! Thanks again to all that are making this possible.

Valuable Information

Hey Friends,

I received an e-mail from Bob Gebbia, the executive director of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. I wanted to share the info in it because it really explains why we all do this and where the money goes.

How the money is used:

• Invest in 18 new research studies that will advance understanding of the causes of suicide and its prevention
• Organize at least 5 new AFSP chapters across the country
• Recruit thousands of additional grassroots volunteers to advocate for suicide prevention
• Expand the outreach program which links trained volunteer survivors with the recently bereaved to offer support
• Distribute AFSP's new educational film for high school students to teach them about adolescent depression and the importance of getting help
• Complete a film and materials to train teachers, guidance counselors and other school personnel about suicide prevention
• Use our film on physician depression and suicide to educate physicians and medical students to recognize depression in themselves and their patients

Broken down how much money can help:

• For every $50 you raise, we can provide educational materials to 25 people, emphasizing the importance of early identification and treatment for those suffering from depression and other disorders that put them at risk. If just one person seeks help for depression, a life could be saved for less than the cost of dinner and a movie.
• For every $100 you raise, AFSP can educate a mental health professional or primary care physician about the warning signs of suicide; they, in turn, will reach hundreds - maybe thousands - of people.
• For every $500 you raise, a new Survivor of Suicide support group facilitator can be trained, and the members of the group will be given a chance to be with other survivors who understand, and will know that they are not alone.
• For every $1,000 you raise, you, together with 20 additional walkers, we can fund a year of research into the genetic, biological or behavioral factors that contribute to suicide. The number of lives potentially saved by this research is incalculable.

Eat To Save Lives!

Save The Date:

May 18th, Old Country Buffet on the Carlisle Pike!

Eat Food to save lives!!

Week 14

Hey Friends,

I hope everyone had a good week! This week was full of passing out flyers, and telling people about the fundraiser occuring at Old Country Buffet on Monday, May 18th. This past Wednesday I went to my monthly meeting of Survivors of Suicide. It was great, I got to share all my stories of the fundraiser so far. I told them about my up-coming events and possible ideas and they really cheered me on and gave me awesome advice, thanks guys! I discussed with my friends at my meeting about contacting a radio station and my one friend stated he was friends with a guy at one radio station and he was goign to see what he could do, thank-you sooooo much.
On Monday I will try to contact more forms of media and see where it goes from there. Also I will be passing out tons and tons of flyers and tell everyone about the fundraiser.
This has been a great week, thanks to all that are making this possible! I hope everyone has a great next week!

Week 13

Hey Friends,

I hope everyone had a good week! This week was just more planning. During a work meeting I passed out some flyers for the May 18th fundraiser at Old Country Buffet. Thanks to all at the meeting for showing your support and taking the flyers. I've been talking to some friends about the fundraiser and they have been giving me some great advice. They told me of some fantastic radio stations that would help support the cause and help make the public aware of the upcoming fundraisers. Also I've had some amazing people volunteer to help with the car wash fundraiser, thank-you all so much! I was very fortunate to have four of my poems published this week in my college's book titled "Voices". On April 30th the publishers held a kick-off event for the books release and asked writers who were published in their book to come and talk about their work. Well I was one that pushed through that stage freight and read my poems and discussed my trail of suicide prevention. Thanks again to the publishers of "Voices" for excepting my poems, allowing me to read them, and help fight the stigma against suicide prevention.
I am still trying to iron out the details about the Zumba fundraiser, I'm just waiting to hear from another YMCA if they would be fine with holding an event there. My boss has offered to help with doing another bake-sale/cook-out. This will take some planning and time management, but hopefuly it will occur. I'm really glad to see how enthustiastic people are about this cause!
I hope everyone has an awesome week! Thanks to all that are making this possible.