A display of 15 empty chairs outside the Old Train Depot in downtown Long Beach emphasized the serious nature of the latest campaign by Peace of Mind Pacific County. President Nikki Fortuna said the number represents the number of deaths by suicide in Pacific County this year. The mental health awareness group is launching a new campaign to work on prevention.

Mental health advocates on the Long Beach Peninsula are gearing up for events with a serious purpose coming to the forefront.

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Peace of Mind Pacific County

Websites: www.pompc.org

or Facebook.com/peaceofmindpacificcounty

Email: info@pompc.org

Phone: 360-642-3448

Mail donations to P.O. Box 708

Ocean Park, WA 98640

Bidding on floats: auctria.events/hopefloats3

Peace of Mind Pacific County has launched its “Hope Floats” program, seeking to help raise money for its educational programs.

More than two dozen brightly decorated fishing floats were on show at the old Long Beach Railroad Depot last weekend and have been distributed around peninsula business storefronts.

Supporters raise money for the cause by bidding online for the original artwork.

Amid the activity is a serious purpose: The group is ramping up existing suicide awareness activities with a new campaign.

STARS — an acronym for Stop The Alarming Rise of Suicide — will be launched May 18, the day of the group’s annual Wellness Walk.

The idea, in part, is to better help middle school and high school students to be able to recognize the signs of a classmate who may be considering taking their own life.

Solid support

Nikki Fortuna, president of Peace of Mind, said the concept has the support of Pacific County school districts, the county health department and several municipal authorities. Long Beach Mayor Sue Svendsen and LBPD Chief Flint Wright are among high-profile supporters, as is mental health professional K.C. Carroll. Svendsen even contributed a float.

An awareness campaign featuring community members affected by suicide and parent survivors of suicide is planned. It will culminate in a one-day conference at which children will be able to learn how to support peers and recognize common symptoms and behaviors of classmates and others considering suicide.

Fortuna acknowledged that the renewed emphasis was, in part, a reaction to the death of a county teenager. A display of 15 empty chairs in a half circle outside the depot signaled the number of suicide deaths in the county this year.

An important cause

The annual Wellness Walk on May 18 will launch the program. The walk begins at 10 a.m. It is about three miles on the Discovery Trail from the Bolstad Avenue approach north to Clark’s Tree and back.

As well as the walk, people affected by suicides of loved ones will be among the speakers. An art show featuring work from youngsters from the Dylan Jude Harrell Community Center will coincide with events. A sample of the artwork was on display at the depot when the program was launched this weekend.

Float auction winners will be announced. Supporter Carol Bernard, who visited the exhibit Saturday, was watching the online bidding with interest — she was the high bidder on two floats last year. “Mental health is really important, so this cause is important,” Bernard said. “There shouldn’t be any taboo. Wellness is something for everyone.”

Fortuna said she likes the floats concept. “It allows members of the community to participate,” she said. “They may not be able to do the walk, but the fishing and artist community, and those who appreciate art, come together and it brings an awareness through our connections.”

At an enclosure at the Bolstad approach, some 20 partner agencies will describe the community and social services they offer. Fortuna noted that hunger, housing issues and poverty all contribute greatly to people’s well-being. “Everything affects how we respond mentally with our anxiety and stress levels,” she said.

Children’s activities like rock painting and face painting are planned to enable parents to be freed to concentrate on gathering the more serious information. As well as a healthy walk, children will be able to collect painted rocks along the route and be eligible for gift bags.

One word

The work is rewarding for eight-year peninsula resident Candy Rutledge, who serves as Peace of Mind treasurer. “Part of our life is to make a difference,” she said. “We are agents for change in a positive way.”

Many summer peninsula events have overlapping dates. The walk coincides with regional Jeep enthusiasts’ “go topless” gathering.

Fortuna commended Kat Wilhelm from the Jeep group for support. Her drivers annually raise money to support positive ventures. This year they are supporting Peace of Mind, as well as the South Pacific County Humane Society pet shelter and the Peninsula Wild Care animal rescue in Ocean Park.

Drivers arrange their rigs together on the beach to spell out a word for visitors to photograph.

This year’s word is “life.”