Mission:
1) To educate the campus community about suicide causes and prevention
2) To create a dialogue amongst the student population about suicide and depression
3) To fundraise for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
4) To coordinate and host the Out of the Darkness walk
Slogan:
Talk. Listen. Walk. Live.
Talk — to encourage suicide contemplators to talk about their situation and ask for help
Listen — to provide suicide survivors with a place to tell their story
Walk — to create a community of support and hope by walking with Out of the Darkness
Live — to decrease the amount of suicide attempts and successes by spreading awareness
Definitions:
Suicide: the action of killing one’s self intentionally
Suicide attempt: the action of trying to kill one’s self intentionally, but failing
Suicide victim: a person who has succeeded in committing suicide
Suicide survivor: a person who has attempted suicide and failed; a person who has contemplated suicide and received help; a person who is connected to someone who has committed or has attempted to commit suicide
Important links:
The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: http://www.afsp.org
Out of the Darkness: http://www.outofthedarkness.org
The club’s Facebook group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/OTDNP
Organization of the club:
1) Chair:
a. Oversees and advises all advertising, fundraising, awareness events, and club meetings
b. Facilitates communication throughout the club
c. Files paperwork with the school
d. Sustains contact with the AFSP Area Director and the SUNY New Paltz Student Government
e. Maintains finances in coordination with the AFSP Area Director
f. Communicates with club sponsors
g. Attends club activities and coordinates the Out of the Darkness walk
2) Co-Chair:
a. Shadows the Chair so that he/she may take the position of Chair in the future
b. Attends club activities and helps to coordinate the Out of the Darkness walk
3) Advertising Committee
a. Coordinates with the Communications and Media Society
b. Maintains constant advertisement for the club throughout the campus during both the Fall and Spring semesters through the use of flyers and mini-flyers
c. Advertises for club events throughout the campus for one week prior to the event through the use of flyers and mini-flyers
d. Advertises for the Out of the Darkness walk during the second-half of the Spring semester, throughout campus and the town, through the use of flyers, mini-flyers, multi-media, radio announcements, and chalking.
e. Attends club activities and helps to coordinate the Out of the Darkness walk
4) Fundraising Committee
a. Coordinates with the SUNY New Paltz Marketing Association
b. Organizes campus fundraising events including bake-sales, wrist-band and t-shirt sales, and art sales
c. Arranges and hosts town fundraising events including P&G’s/Oasis/Murphy’s nights and open-mic nights
d. Contacts businesses in town for walk sponsorship
e. Attends club activities and helps to coordinate the Out of the Darkness walk
5) Awareness Committee
a. Coordinates with OASIS and the Psychological Counseling Center
b. Plans and hosts awareness events including workshops, tabling, and movie screenings
c. Contacts mental health professionals to speak at club meetings
d. Outreaches to the New Paltz school district for involvement at the middle and high-school level
e. Attends club activities and helps to coordinate the Out of the Darkness walk
2012 Positions
1) Chair: Charlene V. Martoni
2) Advertising Director I: Lynda Hartley
3) Advertising Director II: Laura Cerrone
4) Fundraising Director I: Catherine Ball
5) Fundraising Director II: Jackie Northacker
6) Awareness Director I: Ariana McGuire
7) Awareness Director II:______________
2012 Tentative Plans
1) The club will meet once per month to discuss and plan events. I am meeting with Mr. Patterson on the first day of classes to reserve meeting space. Hopefully I can reserve space for Thursday nights.
2) We plan to table at Hasbrouk and the Student Union 1-2 times during the semester to give out informational fliers about suicide prevention and sell bracelets and t-shirts.
4) Some fundraisers we would like to have include bake sales, selling wristbands and t-shirts, fundraiser nights at P&G's/Oasis/Murphy’s, and art sales.
5) We would like to offer a suicide prevention workshop to members of the club as well as the student body. The workshop is called SafeTALK, it is 3 hours long, and it will be facilitated by Maria Idoni, the area director for AFSP. We need 12 people as a minimum. It’s a great resume builder for students. Here's the link: http://www.livingworks.net/page/safeTALK
6) We are thinking of branching out to schools in the district, with permission of the superintendent, to talk to students about suicide after we complete SafeTALK.
7) We will screen the suicide awareness video provided by AFSP twice per semester.
8) We want to keep in contact with other clubs so that they may benefit from our awareness events.
9) We would like to have mental health speakers and suicide survivors talk at some monthly meetings.
10) We want to make the Out of the Darkness walk this year a longer event, with music, artwork, speeches, etc. so that students can create a network of support.
