"I am so sorry you have to face life with this kind of wound. I don't have any answers or magic words. In fact I would rather sit or walk with you for a silent hour than fill your ears with words that ring hallow and fall so short of real comfort. I would rather do your dishes. Or restock your refrigerator. Or write out the checks to pay your bills, answer you phone or take care of other mundane details. I would rather listen to you tell me all the things you love about the person you are missing so much. Or light a fire in your fireplace or make you something warm to drink. Or read the Psalms to you. Or bring you a pot of homemade soup. I would rather sleep on the floor by your bed so when you wake up in agony, someone is there... No one can talk away the pain. Grief drains most words of their power anyway." (Billy Sprague, Letter to a Grieving Heart)
Such a powerful quote, touching and equally beautiful. That quote still tugs at my heart strings after losing my brother ten years ago. To all of those who are reading this and have loved and lost, this quote is for you too. Grief does not come with an expiration date; take a deep breath, please be gentle with yourself and remember that there is a reason YOU are still here today.
I know why I'm still here. I have a story to share, and more importantly, I am determined to make a HUGE difference in the lives of others-- especially right here in the Dallas community. I'm honored and humbled to be hand selected by Yvonne Crum as one her 2016 Fashion Stars. And it's just not just about being a fashionista, stylish or connected in the "Dallas scene", we are "Fashion Stars for a Cause".
The most exciting part is that I now have the unique opportunity to utilize my platform in fashion to raise awareness and funding for the Suicide Crisis Center of North Texas. Yes indeed, 100% off all money raised between now and the black tie gala for Fashion Stars for a Cause (FSFAC) on Friday, March 25th at Dallas Country Club goes DIRECTLY to the Suicide Crisis Center of Dallas.
**I will share information at the end of this blog post as to how you and your business can get involved today and help support the Fashion Stars in our partnership with the Suicide Crisis Center of Dallas.
On Friday, September 12th, National Suicide Awareness Day, I had the pleasure of attending an event at Dallas City Hall. It was an informal kick-off for the FSFAC 2016 campaign. Brian Cuban, as pictured in the photo below, was the keynote speaker, in addition to Dallas mayor, Mike Rawlings and retired marine, Jeff Pierson.
Do you notice the shoes in front of the podium? Shoes, shoes and more shoes. This was just one side of the room at Dallas City Hall. Every SINGLE pair of shoes represents ONE life that was lost to suicide in Dallas over the last year. Can you believe that in one year, over 475 people committed suicide in Dallas? Just Dallas.
As I listened to each speaker talk, my eyes welled up with tears. I glanced around the room at every pair of shoes, and I got chills through my entire body. That's 475 children, parents, siblings, spouses, grandparents... 475 lives that were lost too soon. And 100% percent of these lives lost could have been prevented. Suicide is a permanent answer to a temporary situation.
And it all starts with us talking about it. Right here. Right now. Did you know that in this country more than 22 military veterans commit suicide every single day? That's roughly one suicide every hour. These veterans are not committing suicide because they are selfish or taking the "easy way out". Each veteran truly believes that their loved ones will be better off without them.
Not all wounds are visible. Everyone is fighting a battle that no one knows anything about. So why is it that depression, PTSD, anxiety and all the silent illnesses that plague so many of us are never talked about-- dusted under the rug? Nearly 16 MILLION Americans suffer from a major depressive disorder. Depression is NOT a choice, and that stigma needs to stop.
So how can you help? There are several ways to get involved by supporting the Suicide Crisis Center. I promise that no amount is too little:
1) Donating made easy. I have set up a GoFundMe account for Fashion Stars for a Cause benefitting the Suicide Crisis Center. Click here: GoFundMe
2) I am also selling raffle tickets for $100 each. You do not have to be present at the March 25th gala to win. You DEFINITELY want to buy at least one raffle ticket. So far, there are two amazing raffle prizes, and again; it's all for charity:
- BELK $5,000 Gift Card
- Exclusive Three Day, Four Night trip to Havana Cuba, from Conscious Cuba
You can easily purchase your raffle ticket using the GoFundMe account. Simply put in the memo section how many raffle tickets you would like, and I will arrange delivery. If you would like to e-mail me to purchase raffle tickets, that's also easy: Laura@life-stylebylaura.com
4) Become a corporate sponsor for the Fashion Stars for a Cause black tie event at Dallas Country Club on Friday, March 25th. Please call me for more details. I'm happy to help you and explain the different levels of corporate sponsorship! The best way to reach me is at: 832-314-0105
5) Purchase individual tickets for the gala. Or, if you would like to bring a larger group, a table for 10 is available for $2,500. Again, please feel free to call or e-mail me for more details.
Presenting your 2016 Fashion Stars. Together we can and WILL make a difference!
Photo credit: Danny Campbell Photography
From left to right-- Back row: Carmen Surgent, Whitney Kutch, Bridget Sommerlatte, Laurie Graham, Shayema Rahim, Gina Marx, Francis Harrison, Shelley Herrera-O'neal, Laura Fedock (me), Kristy Morgan, Sherice Brown, and Amanda Ward. | Front Row: Margie Wright (Executive Director of the Suicide Cricis Center of North Texas) and Yvonne Crum (Founder and Chair of Fashion Stars for a Cause).
*To learn more about the Suicide Crisis Center of North Texas and the services they provide, please visit their web site: Suicide Crisis Center
Photo credit: Danny Campbell Photography
All media inquiries can be directed to: Laura@life-stylebylaura.com
All skinnyinheels.com blog posts are © of Laura Fedock with Life-STYLE by Laura. All rights reserved. The content, verbiage and descriptions used in this post and all skinnyinheels.com blog posts cannot be copied or republished without written consent from Laura Fedock. All photo credit is given to photographers when the photo is taken by a professional photographer.