Register for the Kick Out Suicide Kickball Tournament

Register for the Kick Out Suicide Kickball Tournament
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Teams must consist of 10 or 12 players and have an even mix of men and women. Those who aren’t able to organize a complete team are still encouraged to call and express interest as organizers always have a few stray individuals they can help organize into teams.

                        

The Survivors of Suicide support group of Tuscarawas and Carroll counties will host the second annual Kick Out Suicide Kickball Tournament at Dover City Park on Sept. 8. The group is raising funds to support the Alcohol, Drug Addiction & Mental Health Services board and to raise awareness about the problem of suicide.

Teams must consist of 10 or 12 players and have an even mix of men and women. Those who aren’t able to organize a complete team are still encouraged to call and express interest as organizers always have a few stray individuals they can help organize into teams.

The cost to participate is $100 per team, and the deadline to register is Monday, Sept. 3. The tournament will begin at 3 or 4 p.m., depending on the number of teams that sign up. Games will be 45 minutes with everything ending at 11 p.m.

Organizer Aaron Kuntzman said he has 10 teams signed up at the moment and expects a few more before the deadline.

Survivors of Suicide member Pam Leyda lost her son three and a half years ago and wanted to do something in his memory. She turned to her son-in-law Kuntzman, who has experience planning kickball tournaments for the local anti-bullying group 2gether We Stand.

“Last year was kind of a trial thing, but we had a good time,” Leyda said. “And the people were just awesome.”

Leyda said the inaugural event raised about $1,200 for the ADAMHS board and saw players from as far away as Stark County.

Kuntzman said 100 percent of the proceeds from the day will go to support the ADAMHS board, and Leyda will run the concession stand herself during the tournament, providing players with sloppy joes, water and Gatorade.

The focus of this year’s fundraiser is to get members of the community to learn the suicide-prevention technique known as question, persuade and refer. Leyda and several other members of the support group took the training in July.

QPR is not counselling. It is a way to reach out to those who may be having trouble and let them know there is hope. “People don’t know how to ask for help,” Leyda said.

The steps include asking a person about suicide. Some may be hesitant to ask because they fear planting the idea in someone’s head, but the training says this is not the case. The second step is to persuade the person to get help and then finally refer them somewhere they can get help. The program suggests accompanying them to the source of help when able.

“There is such a need for prevention and awareness,” Leyda said. “And it’s something people don’t want to talk about.”

The Survivors of Suicide also is responsible for the annual Suicide Prevention Walk at Newcomerstown High School. This is the fourth year for the event, which will feature a balloon launch to honor those lost, yoga, a disc jockey and free refreshments for all walkers.

This year’s walk will take place on Sept. 23 at 2 p.m. The featured speaker will be Billy Ballenger of the motivational group Break the Grey.

A 2018 report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found Ohio’s suicide rate has risen 31-37 percent since 2000. Nationally the rate has increased 25 percent since 1999.

“We just want to prevent another family from having to go through this terrible loss,” Leyda said.

To sign up or for more information, call Kuntzman at 330-934-9110 or Leyda at 330-243-0707.

More information on the Survivors of Suicide can be found on Facebook by searching for tuscarawaslight. Information on the fourth annual Suicide Prevention Walk can be found on Facebook.

The ADAMHS board is located at 119 Garland Drive SW in New Philadelphia or online at www.adamhtc.org/.


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