Candlelight Vigil honors memories of suicide victims

By Allison Canter

As part of Sunshine Sunday, those affected by suicide through a friend or family member, along with the Ashe

Suicide and Depression Awareness and Prevention (ASAP) Task Force, gathered together for the first time at Ashe County Courthouse for a special Candlelight Memorial, to honor the memory of those who have lost their battle with depression.

The Candlelight Memorial Service included a time of remembrance and sharing, special music including Amazing Grace, by the Ashe County High School Chorus, a candle lighting and roll call of those lost. Family members and friends were given the opportunity to bring photos and mementos which were put on display. Time was also set aside to give each survivor an opportunity to speak.

According to the ASAP Task Force, many survivors struggle to understand the reason for the suicide, asking themselves over and over again, 'Why?' Many replay their loved ones' last days, searching for clues, particularly if they didn't see any signs that suicide was imminent.

Each year, the second Sunday in November is designated "Sunshine Sunday" by proclamation of the Ashe County Board of Commissioners. It is estimated that more than 4,000 people in Ashe County will have a depressive order during their lifetime. However, if diagnosed and treated, depression can be relieved in 85 to 90 percent of cases. The proclamation states, "Community organizations, churches, synagogues and other places of worship can play a special role in educating their members about depression."

Believing that the church family can take a front line stand in the fight to reduce the Suicide Rate in Ashe County, the ASAP Task Force, asked churches all over Ashe to participate in the Annual Sunshine Sunday Event by distributing the warning signs of depression and suicide, scheduling presentations to help reduce the stigma of mental illness in the community and to send the message that there is help and it is okay to ask for help. The Sunshine Sunday Project is highlighted as best practice in the NC Plan to Reduce Adolescent Suicide.

The ASAP Task Force provides speakers, upon request for local civic and church groups. Phillip Cole, clinical counselor and ASAP member, recently spoke at Baptist Home Church in Creston.

"I received a warm reception, when I spoke with them on Oct. 19," Cole said. "They had lots of questions and were very interested in discussing depression and suicide. The most important thing about this outreach is to continually remind people that we're all part of a larger human community. Men in particular, need to be reminded that sharing feelings is a more healthy way to cope than covering up and living in despair," Cole pointed out. "Talking things out precludes acting them out."

Formed in 1998, by the Ashe County Healthy Carolinians Task Force, the ASAP Task Force has been working to reduce the incidence of suicide prevention, provide support for survivors and remove the stigma attached to emotional illness in the county.

Since its beginning, the task force has developed workshops on the different faces of depression, symptoms in adults, children and the elderly and intensive crisis intervention, including the Yellow Ribbon Program.

The Yellow Ribbon Program to Reduce Adolescent Suicide has been institutionalized in local middle and high schools and packets for families of suicide victims are distributed to all the funeral homes in the county and in the Emergency Department at Ashe Memorial Hospital to support the survivors and to offer assistance.

The Task Force also has sponsored several programs for professionals in the county including a Suicide Intervention Program (ASIST) for the school personnel, and most recently, a Safe Talk Program for community members. Upcoming this fall will be a special training for Law Enforcement Officers in collaboration with the Ashe County Sherriff's Department and the municipal Law Enforcement Departments of Jefferson and West Jefferson.

The ASAP Task Force members include Chair Debbie Wellborn, Past Chair Jim Weaver, Dr. Karen Brock, Phillip Cole, Dana Colvard, Fran Cook, Rev. Keith Franklin, Sherry Goodman, Nancy Kautz, Suzie Long, Carlean Lyle, Martin Little, Nanci Shannon, Barbara Trask, Walt Petersen, Christy Pruess, Kathy Weaver and Steve Rochkind.

If you or anyone you know needs help call the 24 hour crisis Hotline at (336) 246-HEAL (4325), the Smoky Mountain Center Hotline at (800) 849-6127 or Heartbeat Wilkes County at (336) 667-3695. Helpful websites include www.save.org, www.suicideology.org and http:/afsp.org.

If anyone would like to help or needs further information, contact the ASAP Task Force through the Office of Ashe Healthy Carolinians at (336) 846-0781.

The ASAP Task Force extends a special thanks to Jefferson Rent All, Ashe County School Art, County Managers, Heavenly Sounds, SSS Inc., Creative Printers, St. Francis Catholic Church, Ashe County Department of Social Services Office, Holly Aguero and the Ashe County High School Choir.