MORROW COUNTY- Morrow County United Way Director Jodi Hayes was honored as a “Guardian for Good” at Helpline’s Fourth Guardians for Good luncheon November 29 at Ohio Wesleyan’s Campus Center in Delaware, Ohio.
The celebration highlighted members of the community who support and connect others through service and volunteerism.
HelpLine Executive Director Sue Hanson introduced Hayes as someone who “sees a need and finds a way to do what needs to be done.”
“She is the epitome of social responsibility,” Hanson said.
Erin Kelty, who works with Hayes at Kiwanis and Chamber of Commerce, spoke about Hayes many projects and described her as “tireless.”
“Jodi works hours on end almost always to benefit others,” Kelty said, adding Jodi is humble and shy about taking credit.
“Jodi always offers hope; she will always help those who need it and people in crisis. Her selfless heart is perfect for United Way,” Kelty said.
Bob Kendrick and Stacia Naquin, Co-Anchors at ABC 6 and Fox 28 News were also honored as Guardians of Good at the luncheon along with Doug Wilson, Omar Reid and Allisha Berendts. Andy Jados and Mel Eckelberger received the Katherine Gharrity Community Service Award.
Naquin and Kendrick spoke of friends who say they don’t watch news anymore because so much news is negative. Kendrick got emotional as he said it’s good to report on HelpLine and the good things the organization does.
“It’s important to highlight some of the good things that are going on in the community,” Kendrick said.
Much of the program focused on Helpline’s work in suicide prevention and mental health.
Hanson said there are now suicide prevention programs in all the Delaware and Morrow County school districts. HelpLine’s 24 hour telephone and text crisis line continues with 14,275 hotline calls answered in 2021-22.
There is also a new 988 Suicide Crisis lifeline that HelpLine is promoting.
The Keynote speaker was Gabe Howard, author of “Inside Mental Health.” He told of his struggles with bipolar disorder since he was a child.
He said he had a serious mental breakdown in the 1990’s and made a plan to commit suicide. He was saved by a friend who saw the signs of his illness and convinced him to go to a hospital to get help.
He was taken to a psychiatric clinic and diagnosed with classic bipolar disease. He said he continues to work so the disease doesn’t control his life.
Howard said he came from a good home. His parents now want others to know the mistakes they made and how important it is to talk about mental health and discuss suicide.
The program concluded with an invitation to participate in the Gatekeeper Suicide Prevention through HelpLine training. It is a 90 minute webinar, which helps recognize the signs of suicide and how to offer hope and seek help.
For a complete list of HelpLine services, to volunteer or to donate, see their website: https://helplinedelmor.org.
