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2024 September Volunteer of the Month - Bridging Yankton Committee


Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth and young adults in South Dakota.  It is estimated that 85% of people in the United States alone will know someone who has died by suicide, and that one out of every five of those losses will be a close friend or relative.


Bridging Yankton is a suicide prevention group formed in Yankton in 2016 whose mission is to increase suicide awareness by supporting local and statewide prevention efforts and supporting the Helpline Center’s statewide services for suicide prevention and crisis support.


Each year, Bridging Yankton partners with local sponsors and the Helpline Center to host a Step Forward to Prevent Suicide Walk, providing hope, help, and healing to individuals and families in the greater Yankton community. The Step Forward to Prevent Suicide Walk remembers those that have been lost to suicide and raises funds to benefit the group’s suicide prevention efforts and provide funding to the Helpline Center.


As everyone knows, you can’t have a committee without individuals. The members of the Bridging Yankton Committee are dedicated to the cause for very personal reasons.  These reasons drive the Bridging Yankton Committee members to want to be actively involved in not only the purpose of the event but making sure the event runs smoothly and is meaningful to its purpose.  Additionally, they are working on plans to help provide support for survivors who have been affected by suicide. 


This drive to be a part of the process from beginning to end is what makes for a quality and impactful program from dedicated and intentional people.


Because of their commitment to suicide prevention for our community, United Way & Volunteer Services of Greater Yankton was honored to present the volunteer members of the Bridging Yankton Committee with the September 2024 Volunteer of the Month Award.  Members of the committee are Niels Anderson, Jenn Cliff, Jolene Ford, Alexa Gauer, Andrea Indahl, Emma Laird, Anna Meredith, Alexandra Pagel, Taryn Van Gilder-Pierce, Madison Schaefer, Sylvia Selgestad, Nick Severson, Mary Sternhagen and Gavin Zimmerman.


We asked the Bridging Yankton Committee members to share more about how volunteerism impacts their organization:


Please describe your organization and its mission or purpose:  Bridging Yankton’s mission is to bring awareness and provide resources for people affected by suicide. We host an annual suicide prevention walk, as well as a speaker who has been impacted by suicide, and our outreach seeks to assist other organizations which promote mental health wellness. All the money raised through sponsorships and donations is split 50/50. Half to the Helpline Center to support their 988 Crisis Line, and half to the Yankton community’s mental health and suicide prevention efforts.


What value do volunteers bring to your organization?


Our volunteers are the backbone of the organization, and we couldn’t exist without the great team we have. We come from various backgrounds and professions, but we all have a passion to prevent suicide and aid those impacted by it. Our skillsets and connections are incredibly helpful in organizing our annual event and reaching out to the community to promote our message. So much goes on behind the scenes from working with the city for the event space, to fundraising and finding speakers, to the day-of preparation from set-up to take-down. All of this is only possible because so many individuals generously give their time.


Do you have a recruiting message you would like to communicate to encourage others to support your organization through volunteerism?


Just get involved. We are always looking for additional volunteers who have a passion to get the word out that suicide is a major issue in our community and beyond. Nearly everyone has been touched by suicide at some point in our lives, and we seek to help those in need, any and every way which we can. We want no one to feel as though they are alone or left without hope for the future. Whether you’ve struggled yourself or know someone who has. We all understand it’s a dark path. Every life has value. We would love to have more people and businesses involved and sponsor our event, but more importantly, just get involved with whatever is near and dear to your heart. So many organizations are looking for volunteers, it’s easy to find something that interests you if you take the time to look. A little goes a long way in both financial support and giving your time to the organization. Please consider this as you think about your charitable intentions for next year.


To learn more about local volunteer opportunities or to nominate someone for United Way’s Volunteer of the Month Award, please visit www.yanktonunitedway.org/volunteer, email info@yanktonunitedway.org, or call United Way of Greater Yankton at (605) 665-6766.

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