By Mary Sisk
Rock River Current
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ROCKFORD — A new suicide prevention number is displayed in a flower bed on Auburn Street, using seven varieties of flowers to draw attention to the 988 line.
The display was arranged by Friends of Veterans Memorial Circle, which encourages everybody to use this new resource if needed.
The bed is on the southwestern corner of the traffic light at the Auburn and Cumberland streets intersection. Friends of Veterans Memorial Circle hope the 12-by-4-foot sidewalk garden bed in the area will draw attention to the new service.
The new number for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline will be open starting Saturday and is available for use by anybody.
“To save lives, all of us need to be talking about ways to bring hope,” said Helen Karakoudas Redfern, co-chair of Friends of Veterans Memorial Circle, in a news release. “We want this flower bed to be a beacon for those who are struggling and a conversation starter for everyone else.”
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Planting of the 988 design was done in May by Rock Valley College biology professor and Friends of Veterans Memorial Circle volunteer Megan Pease with help from her husband, Bryan Biehl.
The bed incorporates white begonias, ageratum, dusty miller and more flowers from Village Green Nursery, located at 2640 N. Main St., Rockford.
Friends of Veterans Memorial Circle has been planting flowers in the veterans’ memorial located at the quadrants of the Main and Auburn roundabout since 2019.
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More information
For additional information on the Friends of Veterans Memorial Circle’s projects, visit rockfordveteranscircle.org. For more information on the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, visit here.
This article is by Mary Sisk. Email her at msisk@rockrivercurrent.com or follow her on Instagram at @maryrrcurrent