It's been a while...

So here at CARES we have been out of the office lately so let me catch you up.  In the past month, since I've posted last, I have attended at least 5 QPR's and I'm pretty sure CARES has done even more than that. We have been to FGCU, trained Lutheran Services, Community Christian Academy, and senior healthcare workers.  It's always exciting when community members are being trained on how to prevent a suicide!  We have also been to a ton of social networking events like the business luncheon at Grace, a meeting a Goodwill, and many more-just trying to get the word out there that CARES is here to help the Southwest Florida Community!  And I can't forget to mention our In-the-Dash program-we have been to Mariner, ALC, and we are going to Bonita Springs next Thrusday! 

So as you can see, even though this post was long overdue-we have been busy!  If anyone is interested in receiving QPR training, contact Pedro LaTorre, our program director, and 945-2737!

Donate to C.A.R.E.S. and help save a life!!!

For all of you who donate annually to United Way's giving campaign-DID YOU KNOW????-if you write in CARES as the agency you want to specifically donate to, your donations and support come directly to us!  Help support our cause and save a life by wrting in CARES as your agency of choice!!!

High School Challenge Photography

So Tara and I met with Stacy from Set Free Photography who is now our official photographer for High School Challenge.  She does amazing work and you have to check out her blog at http://www.setfreephotography.blogspot.com/   It's a great idea for all you seniors looking for senior pictures!!!  And remember-High School Challenge is coming up just around the corner in January!!!

Bang Bang You're Dead?

Recently I watched a movie on YouTube called "Bang Bang You're Dead" (not recommended for 18 and younger).  One of the local schools previewed this movie to their students on a Friday and stopped during the middle of what seemed like a very graphic suicide attempt.  The young man who starred in the film displayed very clearly how to hang oneself with an extension cable.  Imagine being a parent and having your 14 year old come home on a Friday night and debriefing about such a movie and such a scene with you.  Although the movie had, what I felt, to be an excellent message that showed the effects of bullying on an average student; its audience, timing, and lack of parental consent when shown to these students was irresponsible.  I liken it to watching Natural Born Killers or Clockwork Orange for the first time...disturbing at best. 

I realize that CARES advocates that talking to teens and individuals about suicide, and educating them on suicide, will definetly not imprint suicidal ideations into their heads; however, what if you have an already suicidal teen that has just seen exactly how he or she can hang his or her self at the end of the school day on a Friday and no trained professional to talk to about it? Simply look at the poster next to this post and ask yourself if this is what your middle-schooler should be watching without your permission?

Way FM

So here is my adventure from this morning.  I was schedule to go to Way-FM and had to be there by 7AM!!! When you live in Lehigh, that is quite a hike.  So I get up at 5:30 and make my way into Fort Myers.  On the way to the station I turn on 88.7 to get an idea of what they are discussing this morning only to hear them discussing my visit!  And, how they would only let me talk if I was 'cool'.  So I pull into Dunkin Donuts (beacause I'm not very cool :)) to bribe them with some food that was sure to induce a sugar coma.  To my surprise, only 20 minutes into my visit I trip over a cable and their signal went out.  They were unable to broadcast for the rest of the morning!  No I'm only kidding-but for some reason their transmitting signal did go out so I had the whole morning to just hang with Jeff Taylor (who, by the way, is the greatest guy).  But just to let all of you know, we rescheduled, and I'll be hanging out with them again, hopefully on the air, on October 23rd from 7-9am.  So listen in!!!

As for some upcoming CARES events-Mark you calendars for a wine tasting at Virginia's restaurant Buon Appetito on November 1 at 4pm-all proceeds go to CARES!!  Also mark your calendar for November 7th which is the semi-annual CARES yard sale which takes place at CARES on the corner of Savona and Del Prado-we are still accepting donations for the yard sale so if you have some old things drop them off at the CARES resource center-one man's trash is another man's treasure!!!  And for goodness sake do not forget NOVEMBER 21-our annual CARES walk!!! 

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Learning the Ropes

Hello all! My name is Sheelah and I am the new intern here at C.A.R.E.S.! I am very excited to be here and excited to learn. I feel that being here will help get me familiar with all the mental health resources in our area. Also help me be more informative on not only suicide prevention but also mental health.

Today I've been working on updating all of our resources for Charlotte County and also getting donations for our High School Challenge coming up in January. Thank you to all of our local businesses for helping us out!!