Fort Walton Lodge partnered with United for a Good Cause Sept. 12 to support the Hope Squad in the county school system with the presentation of the $4,000 Elks National Foundation Beacon Grant. Hope Squad is a peer-to-peer suicide prevention program in schools. Okaloosa County has been in the top 10 Florida counties for youth suicide for many years. Most often a youth will reach out to a peer before an adult if they are thinking about suicide. Youth suicide is increasing in the country and the lodge wants to help address the mental issues students struggle with in today's environment. There are currently 15 out of 20 secondary schools in Okaloosa County with Hope Squads. The program needs to be expanded to all 20 schools. One of the suicides in the county last year was a fourth grader.
Pictured are Paul Willey, PER; Linda Mayfield, PER; Marcie Tingler, Esquire; Kathy Pacheco, 3-year trustee; Jamie Clemons, Secretary; Rob Parks, Loyal Knight; Peggy Brockman, Hope Squad executive director; Paul Eubanks, PER; Marcia WrightReynolds, Lecturing Knight; Tom Knowles, PER; Kevin Clemons, PDD, Northwest District Leader; Tom McLaughlin, Leading Knight; and Michael “Taz” WrightReynolds, PER, Exalted Ruler.