Herald Neighbors

Taking steps to stop suicide

L.I. Crisis Center holds walk in Long Beach

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On Sept. 18, the Bellmore-based Long Island Crisis Center hosted a walk with a singular theme: Every life matters.

It was the eighth annual “Let’s Walk, Let’s Talk … Stepping Together to Prevent Suicide” event, sponsored by the LICC and dedicated to suicide prevention and awareness, on the Long Beach boardwalk.

September is National Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month, and for the last seven years the walk has been Long Island’s signature event to mark the occasion, according to LICC Executive Director Linda Leonard. “In what’s become a yearly tradition for many,” she said, “the walk allows people from across Long Island to come together, to walk together and to spread this lifesaving message: It’s OK to ask for help.”

Suicide ranks among the leading causes of death in the U.S., having increased by 24 percent from 1999 to 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The spike was seen across several demographics, spanning people of all genders, social-economic statuses and ages. On average, 112 Americans die by suicide each day. Young people are particularly vulnerable. According to mentalhealth.gov, suicide is the second-leading cause of death among 15- to 24-year-olds.

“The most important reasons for doing the walk are to raise the visibility of the Long Island Crisis Center and to de-stigmatize the subject of suicide,” said Fran Karliner, LICC’s development director.

“For the first time this year, the walk featured a Wall of Remembrance, where family and friends who have lost someone to suicide had the opportunity to bring a photo, a letter, memorabilia of the person that passed,” Karliner said. “It was very emotional, and it was really good for these survivors to be able to publicly talk about someone they had loved and the life that was lost.”

This year’s “Let’s Walk, Let’s Talk” was sponsored by Northwell Health, Capital One Bank, Astoria Bank, Roseland Saving Bank, Fidelity Investments, and the Massapequa and Bellmore Kiwanis clubs.

The LICC raised more than $60,000 at the event, with the help of sponsors and the participating teams that raised funds. Proceeds will go to the Crisis Center for its ongoing efforts to provide assistance to those who need it.

The center, founded in 1971, is a 24-hour, seven-day-a-week suicide-prevention and crisis-intervention hotline. In its 45-year history, the program has grown from one hotline to seven, and is staffed around the clock by volunteer counselors who must undergo nine months of intensive training. The center responds to more than 11,000 callers annually.

“We welcome people to take part in this yearly event, regardless of whether they’ve experienced suicide within their own family, or just as a way to help raise awareness and reduce stigma in the community,” Leonard said. “We want people to know there’s a place to call for help.”

To reach LICC’s counselors, call (516) 679-1111, or visit 2740 Martin Ave. in Bellmore.