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A new group called The Levi Project has started in Winslow. Organizer Chea Cavin explained the purpose. “The fact is everyone has been affected by suicide in one way or another. Whether they have lost someone or have struggled with it themselves, everyone you know has been touched. So, we started this group to show people that they are not alone. We want The Levi Project to be a place where people can share their stories. The more stigma we break down, the easier it will be for people to reach out for the help they need.”
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Currently, the project is present as a group on Facebook. It began last week and has already garnered nearly 200 members. Cavin continued, “Not only do we want people to share, but we want to offer resources and a safe place for those struggling to reach out. The stigma surrounding mental health issues and suicidal thoughts and even suicide in general has to end. The way you end it is to talk about it.”
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Cavin has been affected by suicide in many ways. She has lost two brothers to the battle. The most recent one, Levi for whom the project is named, only a year ago. He was 27 years old. She said, “When you lose someone to suicide, you go through all of the phases of grief but then on top of that is guilt. You always feel like you could have done more, you should have done more. People who have lost loved ones need support and people who have attempted suicide need support. The Levi Project is all about that.”
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The Levi Project is hoping to spread awareness for this issue in a different way than has been done in the past. “Know the keywords, know the signs. The signs aren’t always someone telling you they are suicidal, sometimes, its them giving you a family heirloom or keepsake out of the blue, sometimes its withdrawing from friends and family. So check up on your friends. But most of all, start having conversations. Open, honest conversations about the facts surrounding suicide. This is happening in our community. We are losing people to their battle with depression and we have been quiet about it for too long. I think that is what is different about The Levi Project. We want as much dialogue as possible about suicide, others try to sugar coat it or sweep it under the rug.”
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Cavin has thoughts on what needs to change in the counseling and medical sectors. Levi was hospitalized for a suicide attempt the night before he took his life. “I think there are a lot of changes in our community that need to be made, protocol for how situations like these are handled for example. I think if someone goes to a hospital and says, ‘I’m suicidal,’ they should be held for observation for at least 24 hours as a matter of policy.
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“Some places have a policy of calling the next day after a crisis but setting an appointment for a follow up three months out makes absolutely no sense. Personally, I feel like some institutions treat mental illness as a joke, as something to be put on a back burner. I feel like that needs to change. I also think that our community could use a facility that is open 24 hours a day. Some place that has trained counselors to listen to people when they are in crisis. If you think about it, most suicidal thoughts don’t happen in the middle of the day. They happen at night, when you are alone. When it gets dark outside, it gets dark inside, too.”
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The Levi Project is also dedicated to providing information on resources that are available. “There should be more ways to reach out. There is the National Suicide Hotline, and the Crisis Text Line, but more would be even better. We are going to start something like that here, within our own community. For example, a text line that anyone could text in to anonymously. If the person is in an actively suicidal place, the volunteer could get the police or medical services to them. The crisis text line does that, but I think something local would be even more effective.
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“We will also be starting an in-person group, to go hand-in-hand with our Facebook group. We will meet about twice a month, meetings will be open to any and everyone and it will be a place of support. Talking is one of most important parts of prevention.”
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Cavin continued, “I want people to know that they are not alone. This is our community. These people, that are part of The Levi Project, all of them, will be there for you if you are in crisis. I also want people who are survivors to know that they are not alone either. The Levi Project has a goal to open everyone’s eyes for them to see that this is something we can talk about and something we need to talk about.”
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The Levi Project is hosting a candlelight walk at 6:15 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 28, at the Eagle Pavilion, located at 523 W. Second St. in Winslow during the Standin’ on The Corner Festival. It will continue east on Second Street to Kinsley Avenue where Cavin will address the crowd. Those seeking information on suicide and prevention can contact The Levi Project are asked to join them on Facebook.
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