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Nearly 200 attend suicide prevention conference in Centreville
By: Mike Stiles - Monday, January 20, 2020

CENTREVILLE – Despite the weather on Saturday, organizers are calling the I Belong Summit a success.

The event was a community conference on suicide prevention. It was presented by the Sturgis Area Community Foundation, the Suicide Prevention Network of St. Joseph County and the St. Joseph County United Way.

Just under 200 people showed up at Centreville High School to hear from keynote speaker Nathan Harmon and to attend the breakout sessions and learn more about what to do if they ever consider suicide or know someone who is thinking they should take that step.

Event co-coordinator David Northrop says there was a lot of good information at the summit. He says a lady approached him and started crying saying that programs like this are desperately needed. Northrop says responses like that shows why the summit needed to be done.

Northrop says the information provided at the summit counteracts the mindset that society is a viable option when a person has difficulties in their life. Northrop says Harmon talked of clouds and how they come and go, just like thoughts of suicide. By having anchor points, Harmon says people can make it through those dark times.

Northrop says they hope to hold the summit on an annual basis. Planning for the next summit will start soon.



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