Rotary Clubs Mark 988 Second Anniversary with Awareness Campaign, Walk for Suicide Prevention
FLAGLER BEACH, Fla. – Answering more than 10 million calls and texts since it's inception in 2022, the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is saving lives.
With nearly $1 billion in funding to revamp and support the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, known as the 988 Lifeline, with 24-hour access to trained counselors in all 50 states, the federal government is working to help communities tackle suicide, mental health, substance use crisis situations. Now, with greater ease of access by dialing or texting 988 or visiting www.988lifeline.org , individuals in crisis are finding the help they need during their most critical moments.
While the statistics show services (phone, text and chat) are being sought and answered at a higher rate than before the transition to 988, ensuring individuals in crisis know the help is available is readily available is a challenge.
Awareness campaigns like the one underway by the Rotary Club of Flagler Beach and the Rotary Club of Flagler County in conjunction with Flagler Open Arms Recovery Services, is helping to get the word out. Seeking to create awareness in Flagler County, the Rotary Club of Flagler Beach hosted a 988 Walk in response to National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month.
Inviting the public to join the walk on September 19, teams staged at Wadsworth Park in Flagler Beach and walked the State Road 100 bridge in solidarity with people who have lost loved ones to suicide, alongside those seeking to communicate help is available.
Flagler County once held the distinction of the highest suicide rate in the state per capita, and Rotarians hope that with additional awareness measures, funded through a Rotary District 6970 grant, more people will think of 988 in times of crisis, according to Rotarian Cindy Dalecki.
"The 988 number is celebrating it's two-year anniversary, and stats of people calling the 988 number have been in the thousands, and it's helped veterans, young people, people of all ages and backgrounds," said Dalecki. "I think suicide crosses all of those boundaries."
Gathering her morning walking group, Misty Ritchie and more than a dozen others showed up to walk with the Rotarians.
"We lead a walking group on Thursdays at 7 pm. I was contacted by the leader of the Flagler Rotary and they asked if we would move our walk to 5:30 so we could join them and so I did," said Ritchie. "I invited all my walking groups so we can be here. I think it's very important that we talk about this and don't keep it quiet."
"I think that if you see people that you notice that are around then all of the sudden they're not around anymore, you need to reach out to them and say 'is there something I can do for you, is there some way I can help you, are you ok?".
The Rotary Club of Flagler County plans to host a walk in November with details to follow.
