Suicide Prevention Coalition to distribute info for veterans

The Orange County Veteran Suicide Prevention Coalition will distribute veteran crisis materials and benefit information during the Thruway Sporting Goods Outdoor Show on Sept. 13 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 78 Oak St. in Walden.

The Orange County Veteran Suicide Prevention Coalition tries to reach as many veterans and their families as possible with the suicide prevention message. Since outdoor events draw large crowds, the event is a great place to meet veterans who might not have seen the over 50,000 suicide prevention materials in over 1,200 businesses and organizations located near Orange County already placed in public.

Representatives of the Hudson Valley VA Healthcare System and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office will be on site to discuss the information in the handouts or set up a future meeting to speak to a group live about suicide prevention. The DAs office will also have booklets on preventing senior citizen fraud and materials on the opioid crisis with a view towards preventing drug use by young people.

“I am proud of the work that the Orange County Veteran Suicide Prevention Coalition has done for Orange County veterans and their families and of the strong support that has been provided to the coalition by the citizens and businesses of Orange County,” said District Attorney David M. Hoovler, who joined Hudson Valley VA Healthcare System to create a Coalition to Prevent Veterans from Committing Suicide in 2021.

The coalition has already been to several veteran organizations and sportsmen’s clubs to speak about suicide prevention.

Organizations that would like any veteran crisis materials or information about other veterans groups in Orange County are invited to stop by coalition’s table.

To have crisis materials sent or to set up a live meeting for an organization, email Carl LoFaro of the Hudson Valley VA Healthcare System at carl.lofaro@va.gov.

Email Lenox Okall of the Hudson Valley VA Healthcare System at lenox.okall@va.gov for information on VA and heroesandcowboys@gmail.com for information about Heroes, Cowboys & Companions.

For questions about the event, contact Thruway Sporting Goods at (845) 778-1400.