Students Lend Their Time For A Great Cause

In 2012, roughly 2,891 people have fallen victims to it in the state of Texas alone; seventy of those deaths came from Laredo, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. The National Institute of Mental Health states that it is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States. It damages not only its victims but the victims' families and communities. That "it" is suicide and it can be prevented. Thanks to local efforts, there is now a non-profit organization that offers help with those struggling with suicide, bullying, sexual identity, and other social problems. They are known as People with Ideas of Love, Liberty, Acceptance, and Respect (PILLAR). Students from Texas A&M International University volunteered to help their cause on March 2 for PILLAR's Third Annual Bucket Brigade.

A "bucket brigade" serves as a fundraiser where volunteers hit the streets in an attempt to raise both money and awareness for their respective cause. Manuel Sanchez, founder of the organization, stressed that "this is a very important cause." He has expanded the Bucket Brigade to seven locations across the city, all of which had some help from TAMIU students. In each major intersection, volunteers would collect donations and pass out pamphlets or pencils to promote the organization's message.

These students could have stayed asleep to recover from those infamous long Friday nights, but these students woke up bright and early to help out for four hours with no tangible incentive. These students realize that the biggest incentive possible is to give back and that is enough for them, proving that TAMIU students can be excellent leaders in the community. Students were there for different reasons but all had one common denominator; they all realized the gravity of suicide and its effects. Eric Garcia, junior at TAMIU and volunteer at the Del Mar and Springfield location, feels that "everyone experiences bullying at one point or another and whether or not we want to realize it, the effects from bullying can follow you throughout an entire lifetime." This notion is what made him want to get involved with the organization. Even Mika Akikuni, professor and associate director of marketing at TAMIU, got involved. She wanted to, "learn more about the issues PILLAR works to tackle and to provide much-needed community service."

In about an hour and a half, the volunteers were able to gather about five hundred dollars from generous donations from the community. Final numbers cannot be disclosed, but the event went on from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All the proceeds from the event go right back into PILLAR for the free counseling services they offer. They offer STI testing, individual or group sessions, presentations, and a 24-hour helpline. For more information about PILLAR or how you can help, visit their website www.pillarstrong.org or call 723-7457.

(Michelle Rubio may be reached at michellerubio@dusty.tamiu.edu)