STARS OF HOPE THANK YOU!

I hugged strangers. Lots of them. Good, big hugs. The three second kind. The night was cold and with every hug my smile felt brighter and I was warmer. 

Stars of Hope Oswego. 

It was a beautiful day- we began setting up at 2PM. I locked my keys in my car at the High School (A first for me.)Thank you to David Chesney for running to my house to get my spare set. 

Bri and her friends arrived. A beautiful girl with pink hair and piercings. A great smile and gentle eyes. They worked hard for 4 hours to get the preparations for the night- We were creating Celebration Kits- which included a luminaria bag, 2 glow necklaces, a glow ball, and a helium balloon. We crowded in the concession stand to inflate balloons and create the kits. Bri and her friends made posters and wrote words of inspiration on the sidewalk in chalk. 

It began to rain. And the temperature was dropping. I was getting a little nervous that we wouldn't have a good festival. 
Friends, family and more volunteers arrived. The rain stopped. We began our set up. Tables lined with the Celebration Kits were set. Face painters were ready to go. 

Guests wore glow necklaces. Glowing bouncing balls were active all around. Luminarias lined the sidewalks. It was beginning. 

My mom, Executive Director of Suicide Prevention Services (SPS), greeted everyone on the microphone. She was dressed in a bright tie dyed shirt and a sock monkey hat. "This event would not have taken place if it weren't for one high school student, Bri, who asked her Counselor to have the event at the school. SPS thanks you, Bri."

Bri was in tears by the time she took the microphone. She shared her story. She talked of how her depression began in the 6th grade. The depression led to self harming. She eventually was medicated. She even had a suicide attempt. She spoke from her heart and through a lot of tears. I stood next to her. The crowd waited as her tears fell and she paused to find her words. "It's Ok- Bri!" "We love you!" "Take your time." She concluded with "Never Ever Give Up." This is the motto of SPS. Never ever ever ever EVER give up. 

We had a group hug. I hugged many strangers and all my friends/family. The mood changes to a loving one. And then the dancers began. 

Dancing with fire and fans, the crowd was hypnotized. Ashley Pater and Heather Bishop charmed. 

We pulled out the balloons from the concession stand and delivered them to everyone in attendance. Some people wrote names on their balloons. Some words of hope. We launched them all at the same time. They lit up in the night's sky. 

The dancers started up again. I noticed my friend Stephanie in the center of the football field. Her outfit matched her sisters. And she was holding a set of dancing fans. The music started and I literally screamed "Whattt???????!!!!" Stephanie was surprising me with a duo dance with her sister. Tears sprang from my eyes at the thoughtfulness of this surprise, for me. (I'm crying again as I type this.) The dance was absolutely beautiful. It was so meaningful and perfect. Stephanie and Heather-if you read this, you are both stinkers! I loved it and I love you both very much!! 

The dancers donated their night of performances to Suicide Prevention Services. I am forever grateful. Ashley Pater, Heather Bishop, and Stephanie Fletcher, you are one of a kind and your love and magic was felt by All. 

At the end of the night, my friend Rikki told me about something she had witnessed. After Bri spoke, a girl walked up to Bri. A stranger to Bri. She hugged Bri and said, "Tonight, you changed my life." 

www.starsofhopefestival.com 

Thank you to my wonderful, dear friends for being with us. Brandy, Hailey, Josh, Megghun, Jillian, Rikki. Gina, Anisa, JJ. Anita, David. My Mom. I love you. 

Thank you to Laurie Hafenrichter and Judy Rhoades for making this happen. Thank you to Karla Hoinkes and Dina Schnable for supporting this and volunteering. 

Thank you to The Village Grind Oswego for donating hot chocolate, marshmallows and cups. 

Stay tuned for next year. Want a Stars of Hope Festival at your school? Contact Jen Slepicka: jennifer@spsamerica.org