Monday, September 25, 2023
By Outer Banks Voice on July 8, 2022
A coalition of local organizations is seeking volunteers to tell their stories for a documentary-style video focusing on the impacts of suicide in Dare County to be aired at a special town hall event in September.
The coalition includes the Breaking Through Task Force, The Saving Lives Task Force, Be Resilient OBX and the Dare County Department of Health & Human Services.
September is National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month and according to Breaking Through Task Force Co-Chair Kelly Nettnin, suicide is the eighth leading cause of death in Dare County and the county’s suicide rate is 44% higher than overall North Carolina rate.
“We are looking for brave individuals who are willing to share their stories and experiences,” Nettnin stated in a release issued July 7. “This could be a loved one who died by suicide or someone who has had suicidal attempts or ideations.” Participants do not have to be on camera, and their story can be shared anonymously and/or through social media postings.
“Our team looked into opportunities for guest speakers for this town hall event and ultimately decided the most important objective is recognizing what is going on in our community,” stated Roxana Ballinger, Saving Lives Task Force Co-Chair. “A documentary seemed like the best way to help people understand how lives are impacted by suicide in Dare County.”
The documentary will also be available on YouTube, social media, local TV, and websites.
Individuals who are interested in participating and sharing their story, can fill out this Google Form:Â Dare County Suicide Stories. Those wishing to participate in the documentary, should be sure to include contact information. You may participate anonymously by sharing your story without listing your name or contact information on the form.
If you have any questions about this project, please contact Kelly Nettnin at 252.475.5036 or kelly.nettnin@darenc.com.
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