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Farmer/Rancher Mental Health Day Scheduled On March 11

The Fort Peck Farmer/Rancher Mental Health Day will feature both suicide alertness training and equine therapy in Wolf Point from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 11.

Meghan Edwards, AmeriCorps VISTA at Fort Peck Community College Ag Extension, said the event is free of charge for individuals 14 years or older.

The day will include breakfast, lunch and dinner for participants at the Sherman Inn. The event is hosted by FPCC Ag Extension and Spotted Bull Recovery Resource Center.

A SafeTALK Alertness Training is planned from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Edwards explains that SafeTALK is a national organization that provides training in suicide alertness.

“It teaches how to be on the lookout for people who may need help,” Edwards said. The training doesn’t instruct for intervention, but rather encourages to reach out to professionals when a crisis occurs.

Edwards attended a training held in Glasgow and sponsored by GNDC a few months ago.

“It was really interesting,” Edwards said. “I found it helpful to make you feel more comfortable approaching those you care about.”

Equine therapy training is scheduled from 2:30 to 5 p.m. The training will feature a licensed therapist from Whitefish.

Jon Eagle of South Dakota will discuss Becoming One with the Spirit of the Horse. His website reads, “Sung Nagi Kici Okiju: Becoming one with the Spirit of the Horse is not a horsemanship model, it’s a way of life. Our ancestors weren’t just good horsemen, they were good relatives to the horse nation. Sung Nagi Kici Okiju is a culturally based approach to the growing fields of equine therapy and therapeutic horsemanship.”

Edwards said 18 people have already registered for the training. She is hoping for 30 to 40 total participants. Stipends are available for traveling.

“A lot of people have reached out to me and shared their experiences with mental health and that there’s a need,” Edwards said.

To register, go to https://www.surveymonkey. com/r/SafeTALK23?fbclid= IwAR3P0ycS74e3NYFyiVxlLXWSVjOQ5JgOjuau_ QZCy9sBt-Dj4fB7TLeJImrM.

For more information, contact Edwards at 406-768-6329 or medwards@ fpcc.edu.

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