East Lyme Youth Services Hosts Suicide Prevention Forum

A Press Release from East Lyme Youth Services

The East Lyme Youth Services Bureau will be hosting a community forum on suicide prevention on Thursday, January 31 at the East Lyme Senior Center beginning at 7:00 p.m. The educational forum will feature guest speakers who will include; Nena Lake, LCSW and Human Development and Family Studies Adjunct Professor at the University of Connecticut, John Holt, an Emmy Award winning sports reporter and anchor at WFSB, Channel 3 in Hartford and Will Calkins a current student at the University of Connecticut.

Nena Lake, LCSW will give a presentation on suicide statistics, depression and teen suicide, responding to a depressed/potentially suicidal young person, parental anxiety and fear, is suicide preventable, and what can family/friends/teachers do to help prevent efforts. 

John Holt will give a unique perspective on losing a family member as he lost a brother to Suicide in 1999. John recently held a fundraiser benefitting the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention at a New Britain Rock Cats Baseball game. John was recently honored with a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for his story “One Last Wish” which chronicled a home run hit by East Lyme native and current Major League Baseball player John McDonald.

Will Calkins will discuss his experiences in losing his best friend to suicide and how it affected him and his peers. Will recently participated and helped organize “Team Dagle” in the Out of the Darkness Suicide Prevention walk at the University of Connecticut, on October 21, 2012 where he helped raise over $14,000.00 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. 

The forum is made possible by memorial contributions made to the East Lyme Youth Services Bureau in the name of Brian Dagle, Brian was a 2010 graduate of East Lyme High School and a popular employee of the East Lyme Parks and Recreation Department’s Playground Program, he died by suicide in November of last year. 

Light refreshments will be provided donated by the Thomas L. Neilan & Sons Funeral Home. For additional information please contact David Putnam, Director East Lyme Parks, Recreation, and Youth Services at 860-739-5828.