BIGFORK - The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) in Bigfork will recognize a National Day of Service on Saturday, May 6, 2023, by hosting suicide prevention training.
The National Day of Service is led by veterans continuing to serve their communities after they’ve retired from military service.
The Veterans Coalition of Northwest Montana will conduct the training using their question, persuade and refer method.
Teachings of the QPR method help participants recognize the warning signs of suicide and question, persuade, and refer people at risk for suicide for help.
Vietnam War Veteran and Veterans Coalitions spokesman L.D. Gross says even just one life saved - makes the teachings all worth it.
“We’re not clinical anything, we’re just veterans trying to help other veterans, very much like CPR, you know it’s basic training for the laymen to try and keep somebody alive until you can get them to professional help,” said Gross.
The training is free and open to the public — not just veterans — and runs from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday at the VFW in Bigfork which is located at 8098 Montana Highway 35.
