Veteran Suicide Prevention

 VFW Post # 4254, Harold C. Buck Memorial Post,  Bonita Springs, Florida, March, 14, 2022 One of our VFW Post Trustees, Bill Simons was inspired by a visit to our Post by District 13 Commander, Shannon Roussey last summer. After hearing Roussey speak passionately about Veterans Suicide Prevention and the efforts his Post were making to address the issue, Bill had cards printed with the Veterans Crisis Line on it and began to distribute them. He also brought forward a fundraising idea to the next Post #4254 membership meeting for approval. The membership approved and Bill hung open umbrellas, upside down in our canteen, to collect donations. On the umbrellas, was a flyer in simple black and white, with the following, “ Now that they have returned, its our turn to give them shelter from the storm. Pitch in for Veterans ’Suicide Prevention.” Next to the wording was a black and white clipart picture of a soldier under an umbrella, protected from the rain. Bill’s goal was to raise $1,000. Starting in mid-September, members of the Post pitched up dollars and coins which were collected weekly. It was slow at first but what really kicked up the donations, was the idea that if someone violated the canteen rule prohibiting cuss words, they had to pitch something into the umbrellas. Well, this worked pretty well and we had a few who liked using colorful language that became quite generous. Bill had a friend make a thermometer graph to gauge the progress of the fundraising effort. Members were glad to see the total rising. By mid-January, we had raised a whopping $1501.46. At the next Post meeting, Bill asked the membership that the donations be used in two ways. 1.- to donate $1,000. to the Veterans’ Suicide Prevention effort that the District Commander’s Post in Lehigh Acres, Florida was developing, e.g. the Lehigh Acres Combat Trauma Support Group, LLC- a Florida 501(C) 3 non-profit where combat veterans can find support and a self-help group and 2. To spend $500. on print materials to be distributed to the Lee County Sheriff’s Office so they can give them to veterans and their friends and families when they met them in the line of duty. The membership approved.  These print materials consist of two-sided color businesses cards with the VA Veterans Crisis Line number printed on the front and on the back, the signs of suicide risk are listed. Two corresponding flyers were laminated and delivered with each box of 1,000 cards, for each of the 7 Sheriff’s District offices, and 1 box to their headquarters or a total of 8,000 cards. Our County Sheriff Carmine Marceno was quick to approve our request to supply these to his employees because he knows they come in contact with veterans and their families in crisis situations. He also has employees who are veterans who would benefit from having an anonymous resource for help. The flyers included with the cards were from the VA media resources on Veterans Suicide Prevention. They were a fact sheet about the VA Veterans Crisis Line and another flyer, on how to talk to a Veteran in Crisis and get them on the phone to the Crisis Line. Simultaneously, our VFW Auxiliary raised funds for Veterans’ Suicide Prevention. Bill’s wife sold advertising printed on a paper placemat with the Veterans Crisis Line and local Veterans help numbers. Other members of the Auxiliary also raised funds through dinners, Buddy Poppy Donation collections, etc. 

At our most recent District meeting, our Bonita Springs Post #4254 and our Auxiliary were proud to present checks to District Commander Shannon Roussey for the Lehigh Acres Combat Trauma Support Group, LLC. Our Post donated $1,000. and in memory of the 22 veterans we lose a day to suicide, even in 2022, our Auxiliary donated $$2,022. This was very satisfying but it was also inspirational because after our check presentation, two other Auxiliaries each pledged $1000. towards to the Lehigh Acres Combat Trauma Support Group. The VFW and it’s Auxiliaries are truly providing shelter from the storm. The Veterans Crisis Line card template and flyers are available on the VA website at the following links. They are meant to be printed and shared by the public and veterans service organizations. Veterans Crisis Line Cards Template for Printer :  https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/media/kyrlesxi/veteranscrisisline-twosidewalletcard.pdf Veterans Crisis Line Fact Sheet flyer: https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/media/qyggaagp/veterans-crisis-line-fact-sheet.pdf How to Talk to A Veteran in Crisis, Conversation tips:  https://www.veteranscrisisline.net/media/no5fymzf/crisis-conversation-handout.pdf