Gail Moesch, the 2024 recipient of the Shawano Optimist Club James Leuenberger Lifetime Achievement Award, recently donated her $500 gift to the Source of Strength program at Shawano Community High School.
This amount is in addition to $1,000 the Shawano Optimists presents annually to the program.
Sources of Strength is a suicide prevention program that supports students in a positive way.
They recently held an event called “Come Sit with Me,” where students dressed in pink and were encouraged to invite someone they didn’t know to talk with them and get to know them.
Sources for Strength holds various events during the year and is hoping to expand its program.
Sources of Strength is a best-practice, strength-based, upstream suicide prevention and mental health promotion program that has shown effectiveness in preventative and intervention outcomes. Sources of Strength takes a positive approach to preventing negative outcomes while promoting well-being, help seeking, resilience, healthy coping and a sense of belonging.
Rather than focusing solely on risk factors, Sources of Strength strengthens multiple protective factors, ensuring individuals have resources to rely on during difficult times.
In 2023, the Shawano Optimist Club established the James Leuenberger Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition to a plaque, the recipient receives $500 that they can donate to a nonprofit organization of their choice.
