THOUSANDS OF SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE LOSS, PEOPLE WHO HAVE LOST FAMILY MEMBERS OR FRIENDS TO SUICIDE WERE CONNECTED BY THE AMERICAN FOUNDATION FOR SUICIDE PREVENTION’S INTERNATIONAL SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE DAY CONFERENCE. THE LOGAN/CHAMPAIGN COUNTY SUICIDE PREVENTION COALITION SPONSORED A SITE AT THE HILLCREST BAPTIST CHURCH IN BELLEFONTAINE. THE PROGRAM WAS BROADCAST FROM 1-2PM TO MORE THAN 300 CONFERENCE SITES AROUND THE WORLD, OFFERING HEALING, SUPPORT, INFORMATION AND EMPOWERMENT. THE CONFERENCE WAS ARCHIVED AND IS AVAILABLE ONLINE AT: WWW.AFSP.ORG FOR TWO YEARS FOR THOSE WHO WOULD BENEFIT FROM THE INFORMATION AND HELP OFFERED! A PERSON DIES BY SUICIDE EVERY 14 MINUTES IN THE UNITED STATES. BOB GEBBIA, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF AFSP SAYS THAT WITH EVERY SUICIDE, “THERE ARE FAMILY MEMBERS, FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS AND CO-WORKERS – ‘SURVIVORS’-LEFT BEHIND TO COPE WITH THE TRAGIC LOSS.” GEBBIA SAYS THAT SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE DAY HAS SHOWN A STEADY GROWTH OVER THE PAST 11 YEARS, DUE TO A BASIC NEED OF SURVIVORS TO CONNECT WITH OTHERS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED A SIMILAR LOSS. CURRENTLY ABOUT 37,000 PEOPLE DIE EACH YEAR IN THE UNITED STATES FROM SUICIDE. FOR INFORMATION OR TO VIEW THE ARCHIVED CONFERENCE GO ONLINE TO: WWW.AFSP.ORG.
THE SPRINGFIELD NEWS-SUN KICKS OFF ITS ANNUAL FOOD RELIEF CAMPAIGN IN COLLABORATION WITH CATHOLIC CHARITIES AND THE NONDENOMINATIONAL SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK OF CLARK, CHAMPAIGN AND LOGAN COUNTIES. THE CAMPAIGN WILL RUN UNTIL JANUARY 1ST AND TRADITIONALLY HAD BEEN HELD DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS. BUT THEY SAY THEY HAVE FOUND THAT PEOPLE ARE MORE COMPASSIONATE DURING THE HOLIDAYS…AND MANY MORE PEOPLE FIND THEMSELVES NEEDING HELP DURING THIS TIME OF YEAR AS WELL. EVERY DOLLAR DOES COUNT. THE NEWS SUN SAYS THE FOOD BANK CAN PROVIDE FOUR MEALS FOR EVERY $1 IT RECEIVES! OHIO FOOD BANKS DISTRIBUTED 45 PERCENT MORE FOOD IN FISCAL YEAR 2012 THAN THEY DID AT THE HEIGHT OF THE RECESSION IN 2009. PEOPLE STILL STRUGGLE WITH UNEMPLOYMENT OR UNDEREMPLOYMENT, BUT NOW GAS PRICES ARE HIGHER AND SO ARE FOOD PRICES. OUR LOCAL FOOD BANK HAS SEEN A 75 PERCENT INCREASE IN DEMAND THE PAST FOUR YEARS FROM THE 75 AGENCIES IT SERVES, ACCORDING TO REGIONAL DIRECTOR OF SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK, KEITH WILLIAMSON. WILLIAMSON SHARES, “PEOPLE ARE STILL STRUGGLING TO GET BY. THERE’S STILL A HOUSING CRISIS GOING ON, WHETHER PEOPLE BELIEVE IT OR NOT.” HE CONTINUES, “I’VE SEEN PEOPLE WITH COLLEGE DEGREES IN HERE, MASTER’S DEGREES, LOOKING FOR FOOD. THE FACE OF POVERTY IS VASTLY DIFFERENT. IT COULD BE ANY OF US.” IF YOU CAN HELP IN THE 2012 SPRINGFIELD NEWS-SUN FOOD RELIEF CAMPAIGN, “HUNGER IS NOT A CHOICE. GIVING IS.” SEND YOUR DONATION TO: SPRINGFIELD NEWS-SUN, FOOD RELIEF, PO BOX 1408, SPRINGFIELD, OH 45501.
GREENE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS HAVE UNANIMOUSLY VOTED TO COMBINE THE COUNTY CHILDREN SERVICES AGENCY WITH THE GREENE COUNTY JOBS AND FAMILY SERVICES DEPARTMENT. BEFORE THE VOTE ON THE MERGER, GREENE COUNTY CHILDREN SERVICES WERE OVERSEEN BY A BOARD OF DIRECTORS WHOSE MEMBERS WERE APPOINTED BY COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
OHIO’S LT. GOVERNOR AND DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE DIRECTOR MARY TAYLOR HAS SOME ADVICE IF YOU ARE INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT. BE SURE YOU STAY AWAY FROM MOVING TRAFFIC AFTER AN ACCIDENT…DO NOT PUT YOURSELF IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. ASSIST OTHERS IF NECESSARY, CHECKING THE PASSENGERS IN YOUR CAR AND IN THE OTHER VEHICLE TO SEE IF THEY NEED HELP, BUT ONLY IF IT DOESN’T PUT YOU IN A DANGEROUS SITUATION. CALL EMERGENCY PERSONNEL IF NECESSARY. TAKE PICTURES OF THE DAMAGE AND THE ACCIDENT SCENE. BE SURE TO EXCHANGE NAMES, ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER, AND DATE OF BRITH WITH THE OTHER DRIVERS INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT, AS WELL AS THEIR INSURANCE INFORMATION, INCLUDING THEIR POLICY NUMBER. DO NOT DISCUSS WHOSE FAULT THE ACCIDENT WAS. GET CONTACT INFORMATION FOR ANYONE WHO MAY HAVE SEEN THE ACCIDENT. THE INSURANCE COMPANY AND/ OR POLICE MAY WANT TO SPEAK TO ANY WITNESSES LATER. IF THE ACCIDENT IS NOT SERIOUS, TAYLOR SAYS YOU DO NOT NEED TO CALL THE POLICE TO DO A REPORT AT THE SCENE. YOU CAN MOVE YOUR VEHICLE TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, EXCHANGE INFORMATION AND THEN FILE A REPORT LATER. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE AT: 1/800-686-1526 OR GO ON-LINE TO THEIR WEBSITE AT: WWW.INSURANCE.OHIO.GOV .
THANKSGIVING IS FAST APPROACHING! WE’LL BE SHARING MORE ABOUT PLACES HAVING FREE THANKSGIVING DINNERS ON OUR NEWS TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY! WEEC NEWS AIRS DURING CIRCLE OF FRIENDS FROM 6-8AM AND AT 12:20 AND 5:28 IN THE AFTERNOONS MONDAYS THROUGH FRIDAYS!
THE KENTON RIDGE MARCHING BAND WILL BE PARTICIPATING IN MACY’S THANKSGIVING DAY PARADE THIS THURSDAY! THE BAND IS LEAVING TONIGHT AROUND 6PM. THEY WILL PERFORM ON HERALD SQUARE IN FRONT OF MACY’S. THE PARADE WILL BE SHOWN ON NBC.
SO MANY THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WHO PACKED A SHOEBOX GIFT FOR A NEEDY CHILD AROUND THE WORLD FOR OPERATION CHRISTMAS CHILD! WEEC WAS A COLLECTION POINT THIS YEAR AND WE ARE PRAISING THE LORD FOR 2,970 SHOEBOXES…JUST AT WEEC! THE SHOEBOX GIFTS HAVE BEEN TAKEN TO PATTERSON PARK CHURCH IN DAYTON WHERE THEY WILL BE LOADED ONTO SEMIS AND TAKEN TO NORTH CAROLINA FOR PROCESSING. THEN THEY WILL BE GIVEN TO A CHILD AROUND THE WORLD. MERRY CHRISTMAS…AND THANK YOU!!
