MARSHALL — The Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) is preparing for the 7th Annual Veteran Suicide Prevention and Awareness Day on Saturday, October 4th, at Red Baron Arena in Marshall. The event will raise awareness, connect community members, and provide practical tools to prevent veteran suicide.
Kristi Stites, Suicide Prevention and Program Development Coordinator with MDVA, emphasized the significance of this year’s theme: “Be The One: a Wellness Mission for Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families.”
“Well, what it means to us at MDVA, we’re the community health team, and ‘Be the One’ means every one of us can be the one for someone,” Stites said. “The Wellness mission is really a call to action for all of us. Healthy resilience is the best suicide prevention.”
Now in its seventh year, the annual event has traveled across the state, focusing on communities with the highest numbers of veteran deaths by suicide. Stites said the Marshall event will feature a powerful hour-long program and a follow-up training session.
“The event is a time to pause and honor those whose lives have been touched by veteran suicide and use those lives to help save others,” she said. “Sharing personal stories and connecting helps people better understand the lens of cultural competency. It’s open to the whole community because a healthy community means healthy veterans and family members.”
Attendees can participate in a coffee hour from 9 to 10 a.m., enjoy refreshments, and take home commemorative mugs. Following the program, a SAFE training, a federal VA suicide prevention awareness course, will be offered along with a box lunch for participants.
Minnesota loses about 100 veterans to suicide each year. Stites highlighted the importance of community involvement in prevention efforts.
“We know that suicide is preventable and that we all have a role,” she said. “Learning to normalize conversations and being empowered to ask tough questions can help prevent suicide. Being a veteran should be and is for many a protective factor. Our call to action is to help veterans regain that sense of purpose and community.”
Stites explained that barriers often exist because people feel uncomfortable asking direct questions. “Educating oneself and being willing to step out and ask some of those bolder questions is probably the most effective way of helping prevent suicide,” she said. “Knowing the resources in your area, like 988, a talk and crisis line, is key.”
The event will also highlight local resources, including a Minnesota-specific version of the American Legion’s Be the One app, which connects users to county veteran service officers and provides guidance for supporting someone in crisis. A Mobile Vet Center will also be on site.
“Our broader strategy at MDVA is to consider demographics and community needs,” Stites said. “We want to promote whole health, connect resources, and strengthen networks across the state. A healthy, whole community is a safer community when it comes to suicide and crisis.”
For those unsure where to start, Stites offered guidance: “You can contact MDVA, visit our website, or reach out to your local county veteran service officer. Our role is to serve Minnesota veterans and families and connect them to both state and federal resources.”
As the event approaches, Stites emphasized the ultimate goal: “We hope attendees leave feeling empowered to work toward health and wholeness in their community, having the confidence to have tough conversations and work alongside others for a common goal.”
The 7th Annual Veteran Suicide Prevention and Awareness Day begins at 9 a.m. on October 4th at Red Baron Arena, with programming open to all community members.
