LOYAL. LOCAL. COMPLETE.
PARIS – Patrons lining the drive-thru at Stagecoach Coffee likely noticed something different about their drink on Tuesday, Sept. 24 – custom cup sleeves displaying positive messages kept drinks warm and fingers cool. The sleeves, provided by the Human Resource Center (HRC) of Edgar County, are part of a push to raise awareness and inspire hope leading into the final days of September, nationally recognized as Suicide Awareness Month.
Michelle Creech, a certified recovery support specialist with HRC, explained the partnership is one of many recent efforts to engage with Edgar and Clark Counties. Earlier this year, HRC partnered with Stagecoach Coffee to distribute green ribbon pins to customers during Mental Health Awareness Month in May. In August, HRC staff assembled and distributed wellness bags to 132 teachers in Edgar County and another 95 in Clark County. Each bag included a journal, hand lotion, lip balm and contact info for the HRC.
“Every month we’re doing different things to get it out in the community,” Creech said.
Tuesday’s collaboration aimed to start conversations about the destructive nature of suicide, as well as the most effective ways to address the sensitive topic with at-risk individuals.
“Suicide is one of the number one causes of death,” Creech explained, adding that, according to CDC data, a suicide occurs once every 11 minutes on average.
The same study revealed suicide was responsible for 49,476 deaths in 2022 – a 36 percent increase from 2000.
Creech encouraged anyone in a crisis situation to call 988: the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. HRC can also be contacted at 217-465-4118, and the organization’s Living Room facility, located at 745 E. Court Street in Paris (Horizon Health campus) is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week to anyone in need of urgent mental health assistance.
Anyone who suspects a loved one may be considering a suicide attempt is encouraged to ask the person in question directly, but gently, whether they’ve seriously considered ending their own life. While the conversation may be uncomfortable, Creech said an honest inquiry is the best way to determine what kind of support is needed, and despite prevailing notions, asking the question does not increase the chances of suicide.
To anyone who feels hopelessness or despair and is considering taking their own life, Creech’s message is simple.
“You’re not alone, it’s okay, we’re here,” she said.
Alyssa Labry, an IPS program staff member at HRC, encouraged anyone battling suicidal ideations to reach out for help, despite the stigma that may surround the topic.
“Don’t be scared. Don’t be shy. It’s what we’re here for,” she said.
Creech is grateful for the support of Stagecoach Coffee and other local businesses that partner with the HRC regularly.
“It’s awesome. It just shows the community effort… We want to support local business and they (support us),” she said.
Stagecoach’s owner and founder, Corby Dayton, was equally exuberant about her partnership with HRC.
“We’ve partnered together to bring about awareness for different social issues in the past. They are a great resource for Paris and surrounding areas,” she told a Prairie Press reporter. “We are just happy to help play a part.”
For more information on the services HRC has to offer, visit www.hrcec.org.