Empty Chairs display at Victoria College
Victoria College will host its annual Empty Chairs display Sept. 22-23 in recognition of Suicide Awareness Month, offering a powerful visual reminder of the lives affected by suicide and an opportunity for the community to remember loved ones.
For the first time, community members could honor a loved one by submitting their name to be displayed on one of the chairs in the exhibit.
The display will feature 131 empty chairs, representing the number of lives lost to suicide each day in the United States. Seventeen of the chairs will represent veterans.
The public is invited to view the exhibit Tuesday, Sept. 22, and Wednesday, Sept. 23. On Tuesday, visitors who have a loved one represented in the display may also place one small item on their loved one’s chair as a personal tribute.
Community members are also invited to attend the Don’t Sit in Silence: Suicide Awareness Resource Fair from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23, at VC’s Student Success Center. The resource fair will provide an opportunity to learn more about suicide prevention, mental health, and resources available to those who may be struggling.
At Victoria College, students have access to free, confidential counseling services. More information is available at VictoriaCollege.edu/Counseling.
If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988 to connect with the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.