Greensburg-area campuses address suicide awareness, prevention with backpacks display
A suicide awareness display in the form of student backpacks will be at two Greensburg-area college campuses.
The Active Minds Send Silence Packing traveling display will be on view from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the backpacks will be on Sullivan Lawn on Seton Hill’s hilltop campus. In the event of inclement weather, the display will move indoors to Reeves Learning Commons.
The display includes stories from those who lost loved ones to suicide and is meant to raise awareness about the impact of suicide, connect people to mental health resources and inspire action for suicide prevention.
Passersby are invited to walk among the backpacks to see the photographs and stories attached to them.
Representatives from Seton Hill’s Office of Counseling and Disability Services and Mental Health America of Southwestern PA will be on hand to provide support and information on local resources.
“We hope that students, faculty and staff will take the time to visit the display and learn more about the importance of seeking help for mental health concerns, just as they would if they had a physical ailment,” said Seton Hill President Mary C. Finger.
WCCC display
Westmoreland County Community College will present the display Wednesday in parking lot C on the campus near Youngwood. If there is rain, it will be moved to the lobby of the Student Achievement Center.
WCCC counselors will be available, along with staff from the nonprofit Active Minds.
“By learning more about suicide, speaking out and changing the conversation about mental health from one dominated by stigma and ignorance to one of support and understanding, we can all save lives,” WCCC posted on its website.
Since its inaugural 2008 display on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., Send Silence Packing has reached more than a million people.
D.C.-based Active Minds supports mental health awareness and education for young adults.
It was founded by Alison Malmon when she was a junior at the University of Pennsylvania in response to the suicide of her older brother, Brian.
Visit activeminds.org for more information.
Jeff Himler is a TribLive reporter covering Greater Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant Area and Derry Area school districts and their communities. He also reports on transportation issues. A journalist for more than three decades, he enjoys delving into local history. He can be reached at jhimler@triblive.com.
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