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Particle Accelerator scenes. Linda Lemmon photos.

 

Hundreds of local residents and families came out to Rotary Park June 13 for the 9th Annual Particle Accelerator: A Day of Music and Hope, and raised a record $7,500 for United Services.

The free, all-day music festival raises awareness for suicide and depression and this year featured 20 bands playing music of all genres and for all ages. The festival started in 2007 by family and friends of Putnam resident Jack Young Jr., who died by suicide on his 27th birthday that year.

Putnam Mayor Tony Falzarano said he was honored to serve as this year’s honorary chairman. He said the event brings people together to focus on an important issue.

 “People look at suicide as tragic, and it is tragic; however, we don’t put enough money or enough work into mental health, and that’s a tragedy,” Falzarano said.

Estimated crowds of more than 600 people attended throughout the day.

The annual benefit concert has two main goals, organizers said. The first is to raise funds and awareness to support United Services, Inc., one of Connecticut’s most comprehensive private, non-profit behavioral health centers, providing mental and behavioral health education, prevention, treatment and social services to the children, adults and families of northeastern Connecticut since 1964.

 “We are grateful to event organizers Jack and Grace Young and Eric and Sandy Gould, who work with United Services throughout the year to make Particle Accelerator happen,” said United Services President/CEO Diane L. Manning. “This year we saw a record amount of people come out for the music and the efforts to raise awareness that mental health and suicide are serious public health issues that can affect anyone.”

The second event goal is to provide information and support for depression and suicide prevention, while promoting music and civic engagement as a healthy alternative to drug and alcohol abuse among young adults.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 41,419 suicides were reported in 2013 – one every 12.8 minutes – making suicide the 10th leading cause of death for Americans.

Locally, United Services has seen a 248 percent increase in its adult outpatient mental health services since 2007. John Goodman, director of Development and Communications for United Services, said the agency attributes that increase partially to the awareness raised by Particle Accelerator.

“Although the demand for quality mental health care has never been more pressing, state and federal decision makers have yet to make this health care crisis a priority,” said Goodman. “Here in northeast Connecticut local businesses and individuals are taking action themselves, joining in this effort to reach out to friends, family, neighbors and colleagues to help save lives and prevent suicide.”

Performers Saturday included: White Rose Confession, Lllama Tsunami, Kala Farnham, Adam Trudel, Dragonfly Diversion, Synergy, The Papa Joe Show, Jason Bleau, No Shame, Nothing Left to Give, Promise of Fire and more.

In addition to the music, the event also featured information on local resources from United Services, Putnam PRIDE (Partnership to Reduce the Influence of Drugs for Everyone), the Norwich Vet Center, Natchaug Hospital, the Windham County chapter for the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), and the Greater Hartford chapter of the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance. Representatives from the transsexual support group, Transitioning and Loving Life (TaLL) as well as SeizeTheFacts.com and Preventing Teen Tragedy also provided information and resources at the event.

Particle Accelerator’s Wall of Angels, a moving tribute to friends and family members lost the suicide, honored 210 people this year with photos on the wall and the lighting of luminaria at dusk.

Funds raised will sponsor United Services Mental Health First Aid Training, a public education initiative that helps the public identify people in the midst of a mental health crisis more readily and get them the resources and professional help they need before they harm themselves or others.

Since 2007, the Particle Accelerator concerts have raised more than $30,000 for local mental health services.