Another candlelight vigil was held at the King Memorial Commons Saturday, but it wasn’t just to remember the Sept. 11 attacks.

The Yellow Ribbon Suicide Prevention Program held a vigil to remember those who have taken their lives.

The program was founded in 1994 by Dale and Dar Emme after their son committed suicide.

“The [YRSPP] is a national organization, with at least two chapters per state, and chapters in 47 other countries around the world,” said Bethany Wolsord, president of NIU’s chapter.

Associate psychology professor Peter Gutierrez and Rebecca Weisenthal, a psychologist at the Counseling and Student Development Center, are the faculty advisers for the organization.

“A group of students decided to start an NIU chapter, found out what they had to do to get it started, took the initiative and did all the work,” Gutierrez said. “And hopefully, they will grow from [Saturday’s] small vigil.”

Last week was National Yellow Ribbon Week. Most YRSPP chapters held vigils around the country.

The group decided that YRSPP chapters nationwide would hold vigils last Saturday. But late planning, school politics and the NIU football game contributed to a lack of attendance.

Wolsord and Joe Wills, vice president of NIU’s YRSPP chapter, said that despite the setbacks, it still was important and necessary to hold the vigil.

“I’m impressed that this [vigil] happened because the commitment and dedication of the students is what impresses me the most about this group,” Gutierrez said.

Since Sept. 11, candlelight vigils have become a popular way for people to come together and share their losses with others.

Some YRSPP members said NIU doesn’t do enough for students who want to remember loved ones.

“We didn’t hold this just for suicide prevention,” Wolsord said. “We did it for anyone to come and remember someone they loved and lost.”

One of the YRSPP’s major goals is to make an impact on suicide prevention efforts in and around NIU.

It also hopes to inspire other colleges around the state to start YRSPP chapters.

“Suicide is preventable, but people need to know that it’s preventable,” Gutierrez said. “People need to know where to go for help, which is the primary goal for Yellow Ribbon.”

The program hopes to gain more members and create more awareness as the year goes on.

“We have speakers planned, as well as an international conference at the Holmes Student Center,” Wills said.

The American Federation of Suicide Prevention will sponsor the conference on Nov. 23, which also is National Survivors of Suicide Day.

A satellite uplink from the HSC will connect to other program members around the world.

A campus walk is scheduled for the end of October. It will start at the Castle Drive entrance to NIU and end at the MLK Commons with a balloon release, depending on the weather. Fund-raisers for the NIU chapter and the national chapter of YRSPP will be held throughout the year.

The AFSP also will make a movie on campus with the NIU chapter on teen depression and suicide.

One step to preventing suicide is to help students with depression.

Weisenthal runs a support group for overcoming depression and anxiety. The group meets from 3 to 4:45 p.m. every Thursday at the Campus Life Building, Room 200.

For information, call 753-1206 or visit www.stuaff.niu.edu/csdc/csdchome.htm.

For information about the YRSPP or its upcoming events, call 758-5051.