Suicide Prevention Initiatives: Life Lines Luncheon

Approximately 150 guests gathered at the University Club on November 16^th, 2011 for SPI's third annual Life Lines Luncheon, to support SPI’s project to reduce suicide among veterans. The Luncheon raised $80,000 for SPI’s program to reduce suicide among veterans of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

The Luncheon was a moving event. Captain Zachary Iscol, U.S. Marine Corps, spoke about his personal experiences at the battle of Fallujah in the war in Iraq, and honored Colonel Willard Buhl, the Luncheon Guest Speaker and Captain Iscol’s battalion commander at Fallujah. Colonel Buhl spoke powerfully about the long-term impacts of combat on returning veterans.

The Luncheon honored Gary Sinise, screen star and lead in CSI New York, for his work and that of the Gary Sinise Foundation on behalf of veterans suffering from the physical and psychological aftermath of combat, with SPI’s 2011 Humanitarian Award. Christie Civetta, a sophomore at Northeastern University, received the Survivors Award for her remarkable accomplishments in raising awareness of suicide among young people; and Dr. Herbert Hendin, SPI CEO and Medical Director, was honored with SPI’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to our knowledge of suicide and how to prevent it.

SPI's annual Life Lines Luncheon builds support for SPI's groundbreaking suicide prevention projects while honoring individuals who have made a significant contribution to suicide prevention. Information on last year's Luncheon is available here.

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SPI would like to thank the following corporations and individuals for their support of the 2011 Life Lines Luncheon:

Benefactors:

Herbert & Josephine Hendin | Kayne Anderson Capital Advisors, L.P. | David Petrucco | Albert Rabil

Patrons:

Arlene Stein | Bonnie & Steven Stern | Claudia Ullman

Friends: