Coalition to honor people lost to suicide
An event Sept. 7 at Diamond Park not only will honor people who died by suicide, but also aim to break the stigma around having conversations about mental health.
Amy Cirelli, co-chairperson of the Butler County Suicide Coalition, said the organization hosts the event each year to give people a chance to talk about their experience with suicide and mental health, which she hopes opens the topic to people who may also be struggling.
“Mental health is always something that is not talked about as much as your physical health,” said Cirelli, who also is a mental health specialist with Butler County Human Services. “Suicide has a lot of stigma around it. It can be uncomfortable to talk about, but that's how you create awareness and learn.”
The Suicide Remembrance Rally begins at 5 p.m. Sept. 7, and anyone is welcome to attend the speaking event. Nationwide, Sept. 4 to 10 will be recognized as National Suicide Prevention Week.
According to Cirelli, this will be the fifth time the rally has been held, and it will be conducted similarly to the previous years. Among the traditions of the event are the shoes the coalition places around the fountain in the park, which represent the people lost to suicide in Butler County during the previous year.
Cirelli said there was an increase in suicides in the county in 2021 compared to 2020, so the event’s speakers are even more vital in spreading awareness of resources for mental health aid.
“Everyone is so generous, and we appreciate everyone who speaks, because sharing that kind of story is personal and difficult,” Cirelli said. “Hearing their stories and how they have been affected and how they have moved forward is my favorite part of it.”
Ken Clowes, who is an assistant at Butler County Community College’s Community Initiatives Center, is one of the speakers scheduled at the rally. Having struggled with substance addiction, Clowes said he endured some difficult times emotionally, but gained hope through counseling and therapy.
He now hosts Hope Nights in Butler for other people struggling with addiction, and said his background gave him emotional intelligence that he hopes to give to others.
“There were a lot of times where I thought, ‘Am I better off not being alive,’” Clowes said. “Despite all that doubt, there was this little seed of hope that I learned from counselors and other people that was kind of a light for me.”
Cirelli said the coalition will pass out information on community resources relating to mental health aid, and organizers also will offer other activities to round out the hour-long affair.
Cirelli said that although it is a little emotionally taxing to hear about lives lost to suicide, it is worth it to break the stigma around the conversation and show others that there is a way through.
“I hope, in general, it creates awareness about suicide and suicide prevention,” Cirelli said. “I hope it shows that there are people who can help you, and I think it's a good way to raise awareness.”
