Champlain students organize suicide awareness and prevention walk for a second year

In February of 2022, on a very brisk, very snowy Saturday afternoon, a group of second-year Special Care Counselling students gathered with other members of their Champlain College Lennoxville community at Optimist’s Park. In spite of continued COVID restrictions, the group had decided to build community in person, while respecting the rules, to show promote suicide awareness and prevention.

The idea was to be together. To celebrate life. To mourn losses as well, but mostly to cast a ray of light out, a lifeline, a reminder that each person matters and has value.

SCC students Jessie Ann Sutherland, Mya Vaillancourt (then President of the Champlain Students’ Association) and Leila Ravenelle led the way in organizing the event, supported by their professor, Ingrid Cardyn.

The group of participants heard a speech from Jessie Ann, and from Emily Mcburney of Mental Health Estrie, and left Optimist Park together, trudging

through the snow, waving signs bearing messages of support, waving at passing drivers. For an event that was organized with a small time frame and many constraints, it was a true success.

That winter, the group was nominated for a Forces Avenir award, a non-profit organization that sets up organizing committees in postsecondary educational institutions, who invite students to apply for their acknowledgement and rewards, chooses winners for their community, and from those judges at the Forces Avenir level choose a candidate or group in each category (individual perseverance, personality and personnel, and then various categories for groups) to receive recognition at their community level.

The Suicide Awareness and Prevention Walk organizers received their award at graduation in June of 2022, and were pleasantly surprised to be selected to be semi-finalists, giving a live, 20 minute virtual presentation and responding to questions from a small panel of judges appointed by Forces Avenir. The simplicity and hopefulness of their event moved one of the judges to tears, as their community struggles with a high suicide rate.

The group made it through to the finals.

They attended the Forces Avenir Gala in September of 2022, where Jessie Ann Sutherland represented the group. A beautiful, televised exchange took place between Jessie Ann and the gala host. While the group did not win their category, they made it to the top three finalist groups, such an

accomplishment, and received a $1000 bursary.

The group opted to give a portion to Mental Health Estrie and JEVI, and to keep a portion for future event planning. They could have used that money in any fashion they wished. What a beautiful thing that they gave back.

This school year the group has once again formed and worked as an entire class to promote this year’s event. And this Saturday, once again, the group will gather at Optimist Park to walk through town (with a police escort for safety crossing streets and whatnot), meeting at 1:00 pm, with hot beverages and snacks paid for by the Champlain Students’ Association once again.

For months they have been planning, determining the best ways of reaching out, while working so hard on their final year of schooling. They have been working with this year’s second year class, so that they may pass the torch next year.

The group wishes to extend this invitation to the greater community, all ages, to consider participating in celebration of life, in remembrance of those lost to, and impacted, by suicide, and to build community. They hope to be a bridge between people in need and resources, to show a reminder of the value of each person, and their right to support.

For more information, visit the Suicide Prevention and Awareness Walk page on Facebook.