COOS BAY, OR – Southwestern Oregon Community College’s Psychology Department, Human Services Department, Veteran’s Club, and Psychology Club is hosting “Hope Lives Here”, an evening dedicated to suicide awareness, prevention, and connection. The event will take place on Friday, February 13, 2026, from 5:00-8:00pm on the Coos Campus, 1988 Newmark Ave., Coos Bay, in Empire Hall. This is a free event.
The event will begin with an opportunity for people to ask questions of a speaker panel featuring four expert panelists. The panelists bring unique and differing perspective in suicide prevention and include Ross Acker (Advanced Health Coordinated Care), Lualhati Anderson (Coos Health and Wellness), Kelly Sweeney-Widman and Corey Widman (Widdy’s Work), and Ariana Ryzbol (US Department of Veteran Affairs).
The panel session will run for an hour and will include a mix of pre-determined questions focused on prevention, postvention, and support, followed by a short audience Q&A. This will be an open, compassionate space where students, staff and community members can hear diverse viewpoints, learn about available resources, and feel encouraged to continue the conversation.
The event will include:
- Speaker panel and Q&A with mental-health professionals and community leaders
- Cookie decorating table as a grounding, creative activity
- Raffle to raise funds for students to attend the 2026 Western Psychology Conference in Tacoma, WA
- A short closing mindfulness practice
We would like to thank our sponsors: A Beautiful You, To Write Love on Her Arms, Front Street Community Bike Works, and Coos Head Food Store.
For more information, please contact Cheryl Davies, Professor of Psychology at Southwestern at 541-888-7291 or cdavies@socc.edu.
