The Peru Gazette

Through a variety of different situations, everyone experiences pain and suffers unexpected loss at some time in their lives.  The goal ofAn Evening of Healing is to open communication for attendees to learn where and how to find strength, connect with people so healing can begin, and leave with a sense of hope and purpose.  Members from previous panels will be in attendance as well as our new panel who will share their stories of strength.

The program will be introduced by members of our Evening of Healing Committee.  Our panel discussions will be led by members Bonnie Black, Deena Giltz McCullough, and Sally Meisenheimer.  All the committee members have experienced loss, trauma, and life events where they struggled and consequently found ways to become stronger and more resilient.

Our Panelists have remarkable stories of resilience and thriving and who include:

• Dena Archer, who has a story of emerging resilient from racial traumas

• Damien Battinelli, of Your Space Between, Inc., will be joining us as a panelist to discuss his focus on ending negative stigmas, supporting military veterans, and preventing suicide.  His 9/11 experience along with suicide ideation has motivated him to  form this non-profit.
• Dragos Banu, MD, finding strength and healing after his infant daughter’s death.

The musical interludes will be performed by Jay Lasage.

Recipients of Be The One Scholarship will accept their scholarships and present their stories. Created in 2019, these scholarships are a means to reach graduating seniors in Clinton County and ask questions related to mental health and suicide prevention. The scholarship gives individuals an opportunity to discover how they can “Be the One” to make a difference by reducing stigma, sharing stories of hope and encouragement, brainstorming creative messaging to include social media campaigns to save lives.  This year we are joined by Keep Another Tomorrow (KAT) Foundation, with their generous support we are giving out four scholarships in place of two.

Parking on site at the Newman Center is reserved for those who have difficulty with mobility.  All others, please park in the Kehoe parking lot across the street.  The Kehoe lot can be accessed from either Broad or Rugar Street.

For questions, please call the Clinton County NY Coalition to Prevent Suicide Chair, Bonnie Black, at 518-578-1612 or Dana Jeweler of the Evening of Healing Committee at 518-578-0844.