Women’s Volleyball Hosts Match for Suicide Prevention Awareness

The Women’s Volleyball Team at Clarke University has organized an event for raising awareness for suicide prevention for tomorrow, Saturday, September 20. As part of their conference-matchup against the Culver-Stockton Wildcats at 11am, the team wants to encourage open conversation about support resources and individual stories.

September is the official suicide prevention month, with World Suicide Prevention Day taking place on September 10. Ten days later, the women’s volleyball team will continue to advocate for the matter and use one of their conference matchups in the name of suicide prevention. Before the game, there will be a bake sale for attendees, of which all the proceeds go to suicide prevention initiatives. Additionally, there will be an opportunity for donations while the game is going on. Players, Fans, Parents and other visitors are welcome to support the team, while simultaneously shining a light on mental health by donating to those initiatives.

Marking the start of their initiative was a $5000 donation to support this gameday. The team will use a part of the money to create ribbons in purple and teal colors for all players of each team, while the majority of the money will go towards organizations supporting people in crisis and helping to prevent suicides. After the game, there will be a speaker with experience in suicide prevention from the Dubuque Chapter of Mental Health America. The organization is also setting up an information table in the Kehl Center.

National Suicide Prevention Month grew out of decades of mental-health advocacy that began with early crisis hotlines in the 1950s and expanded through the creation of suicide prevention centers. The International Association for Suicide Prevention and the World Health Organization introduced World Suicide Prevention Day on September 10, 2003. U.S. organizations such as the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention later extended the observance to an entire week and eventually the full month to spotlight education, reduce stigma, and promote resources like the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Today, Suicide Prevention Month serves as a nationwide call to foster understanding, support those affected, and encourage proactive steps to help save lives.

Women’s Volleyball welcomes all Clarke students to attend their game and support the ongoing efforts to highlight the importance of suicide prevention in our community.