Yesterday, I attended the St. Bonaventure’s Coordinated Community Response Team (CCRT). At this meeting I was able to provide a mini session on the Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner program with Suzanne Soltysik, RN and Kathlyn Ramey of CCA. It was great to be able to share information with the members of the St. Bonaventure CCRT. We had a great discussion, and I am looking forward to future collaborations.  

​September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month —a time to raise awareness of this stigmatized and often taboo topic. On Friday, September 9th, many organizations, including Southern Tier Health Care System, Inc. and the City of Olean Firefighters participated in the World Suicide Prevention Day and wore yellow shirts and decorated our buildings with yellow bows.  

An estimated 703,000 people a year take their life around the world. For every suicide, there are likely 20 other people making a suicide attempt, and many more have serious thoughts of suicide. In addition, millions of people suffer intense grief or are otherwise profoundly impacted by suicidal behaviors. If you or someone you know is struggling or in crisis, help is available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. 

We have been selected to participate in the ARC's Appalachia Nonprofit Resource Center's READY Appalachia program. This program is a new community capacity-building initiative offering free training and flexible funding to Appalachian nonprofits, community foundations, local governments, and Local Development Districts. Alicia and I will begin this course next week. After the 10-week fall term is completed, participants' organizations can apply for up to $25,000 in match-free grant funding for use in a capacity-building project. 

We are excited to participate in this program and look forward to the next 10 weeks. 

​Throughout the month of August, ConnectLife ran a promotion for all donors to receive a free slice of pizza at Crosby's and a chance to win gift cards. I am pleased to announce that Brenda Rivetti was the winner of a grand prize of $1,000 to Crosby's as a result of her donation to ConnectLife on August 17 at Southern Tier Health Care System. We continue to run bi-monthly blood drives on the first and third Wednesday of each month from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. We encourage all individuals that are eligible to donate to consider giving now for our families, friends, and neighbors in need. To make an appointment, please visit www.ConnectLifeGiveBlood.org.