March 29, 2011

 

Contacts:

Kim Schweikert, MSU Billings Downtown, 896-5888
Dan Carter, University Relations, 657-2269

 

MSU BILLINGS NEWS SERVICES —  Studies show that suicide, a preventable public health medical problem, is the second leading cause of death among young Montanans and the second leading cause of death of college students across the country.

 

""In an effort to bring awareness to suicide and the mental health issues related to it, student organizations at MSU Billings have organized a series of events designed to bring suicide issues out of the dark.

 

All events are open to the public.

 

The first event is Saturday, April 2. Students, faculty, staff and the community are invited to take part in the “Out of the Darkness” campus walkto be held at MSU Billings Peaks to Plains Park. Check-in and refreshments begin 11 a.m. and the three-mile walk begins 12 noon. Registration on-line and fund-raising can be found by going to www.campuswalks.org and finding the MSU Billings walk.

 

“Out of the Darkness” walks are held throughout the country to raise money for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), the leading national not-for-profit organization exclusively dedicated to understanding and preventing suicide through research, education and advocacy, and to reaching out to people with mental disorders and those impacted by suicide.

 

For more information on the MSU Billings walk, contact Brennan Bourne at 670-2750 or by e-mail at  bbourne89@hotmail.com.

 

The other events are set for April 4-8 at the MSU Billings Student Union Building.

 

Students from six clubs at MSU Billings (Student United Way, the Residence Halls Association, HEROES, Student Activities Board, Catholic Campus Ministry and Associated Students of Montana State University Billings) are sponsoring the events and programs to address suicide and depression.

 

The events are tied to a national organization called To Write Love On Her Arms, which is dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide. TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

 

The events next week include:

  • Monday, April 4: Love Creativity: Indoor Mural Painting; 5 p.m. near the MSU Billings Cafeteria. (Sponsored by the Residence Hall Association)
  • Tuesday, April 5: Love Volunteering: Service Project; 6:15 p.m. second floor of the SUB (Sponsored by Student United Way)
  • Wednesday, April 6: “Love Actually”: Movie Showing; 7 p.m. (Sponsored by Billings Catholic Campus Ministries and HEROES)
  • Friday, April 8: Love the Rhythm: Free concert featuring The Clintons; 7:30 p.m., Ballroom (Sponsored by ASMSUB)

For more information on the TWLOHA events, contact Patti Helman at (406) 399-3291 or the MSU Billings Office of Community Involvement at (406) 896-5815.

 

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