LOSS Teams, Pathways, CyberStrong, and more!
A lot has happened since our last update. The youth who advise us have been busy working on a magazine and film PSA project to share with our community.
Our collaboration with CyberStrong Mesa County and several other wonderful local orgs has resulted in an insightful and encouraging look into how Sources of Strength life skills education informs D51 K12 student’s every day lives.
As part of the Colorado National Collaborative research project, through grants administered by the Western Colorado Community Foundation and the St. Mary’s Foundation, we were fortunate to be able to offer 2 full days of LOSSteam training to 37 folks devoted to helping suicide loss survivors.
Momentum is key
Next month we’re following up LOSSteam training with Brandy Lidbeck, founder of The Gift of Second, and a premier LOSS Team organizers in the United States!
Sign up HERE!
While the Western Colorado LOSS Team project is under construction, please make use of the resources below in addition to those listed on our website.
Organizing suicide
bereavement support
Also thanks to the Colorado National Collaborative project and Western Colorado Community Foundation, we’ll be hosting Pathways to Purpose & Hope training every Saturday in August.
You’re welcome to sign up on the interest form HERE
Slamming bricks
We have partnered with the Western Colorado Writers’ Forum in their Arts in Society project. The project will present the 3rd Annual Slamming Bricks poetry riot on September 11th. An accompanying printed anthology can be purchased during Colorado West Pride Fest over the Sept 11-12 weekend.
Active Postvention
In the years since Edwin Schneidman coined the term “postvention” a lot has happened in Mesa County. Several devoted people, against stiff oppostion, have furthered Schneidman’s declaration that the most important focus of suicide prevention should be on survivors of suicide loss, survivors of suicide attempts, and attempt survivors’ close family and friends.
Suicide grief support in the Grand Valley began 40 years ago and continues to this day. The Compassionate Friends, Heartbeat Grand Junction, HopeWest Hospice, and GriefShare have done the heavy lifting to care for the bereaved. We’ve been working on a project to try and visualize existing supports, and to the right you’ll see a preliminary overview of 2020 activity in Mesa County.
Interesting fact: Margaret Palo, an original founders of Heartbeat Grand Junction, blurbed the first copy of Iris Bolton's very first book!