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Loneliness and mental health can lead to devastation within a community. But suicide is not the answer to life‘s challenges. On Saturday Copper Shores Community Health Foundation hosts will bring the Copper Country together in support of preventing suicides for the 8th annual Suicide Prevention Walk. During the event the community can learn about various resources in the region dedicated to mental health awareness and suicide prevention says Youth Coordinator Callisto Cortez.
And then the walk itself, we usually start down at the pavilion here and go down to the bridge. And then we go underneath and on the one side, on the Houghton side, to get onto the bridge and we stop. And then we kind of hang out on the bridge with signs that you can make at the event, whatever sign that you feel fits for suicide prevention. And then we hang out there and then we come back. – Callisto Cortez, Youth Coordinator, Copper Shores Outreach and Education
Cortex also plans to speak before the community gets underway with the walk. She says that it’s important for communities to show support for mental health challenges such as depression and suicidal thoughts.
But sometimes their hurt can be too much for them. And that’s why they need to know that there are people to reach out to. And sometimes for youth, it’s important to keep in contact with them, and keep reaching out to them because sometimes they can feel more isolated, especially when they’re going through changes of going through middle school and high school. Those are really important and conflicting times for them. So it’s important to reach out. And to know that there are safe adults who will listen. We’re here to listen, we’re here to learn with them as well. – Callisto Cortez, Youth Coordinator, Copper Shores Outreach and Education
The eighth annual suicide prevention walk presented by the Copper Shores Community Health Foundation is free and open to all in the community. Kids and adults can enjoy playing games and activities, and earn raffle prizes. The event will begin at 1 pm and run until 4 pm in Ray Kestner Park in Houghton on Saturday. Those interested in learning more about the 8th annual suicide prevention walk can find more details here.
