Residents from Portage and Summit counties gathered for the International Survivors of Suicide Loss Day to remember loved ones and share experiences.
The suicide prevention coalitions of Portage and Summit counties joined efforts to plan and facilitate the event at the United Methodist Church in Kent.
The Kent event was part of a worldwide gathering of survivors and suicide prevention advocates to find and offer support and to increase awareness.
Among the participants were: seated left to right, Iris Llewelyn Angle of the Portage County Suicide Prevention Coalition and Barb Medlock, R.N., M.S.N., of the Summit County Suicide Prevention Coalition and hotline coordinator for Portage Path Behavioral Health in Akron; standing left to right, Tracy Dawyduk of the Summit County coalition, Andrea Denton of the Summit County coalition; Paul Dages of the Portage County coalition and Townhall II, Michelle Furbee of the Portage County coalition and Coleman Professional Services and Joel Mowrey of the Portage County coalition and the Mental Health & Recovery Board of Portage County.
For more information about the suicide prevention coalitions, call 330-673-1756 in Portage County and 330-762-3500 in Summit County.
If you are thinking about suicide or someone you know is in crisis, call for support and information at 330-678-4357(HELP) or 1-866-449-8518 in Portage County; 330-434-9144 in Summit County.
Both lines are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
More information about suicide prevention is available by visiting www.mental-health-recovery.org and www.admboard.org.