National service fraternity Alpha Phi Omega (APO) is an international, co-ed service fraternity with the Mu Pi chapter at Colorado School of Mines. The first full week of November has been designated as National Service Week by APO. The goal of National Service Week is to unify chapters with a national theme, inspire expansion of their service programs, and increase the impact they have on the communities they serve. Mu Pi takes National Service Week very seriously, its members passion for service and community showing through immensely.
This year for National Service Week, APO partnered with many organizations on- and off-campus to organize a week of events with the theme of Suicide Prevention in the Community from November 4th through November 10th.
Grant Minnihan, a freshman at Mines and an Alpha Phi Omega pledge, was one of the many volunteers at the Remembrance Walk held on the final day of National Service Week. The purpose of the walk was to raise awareness about the impact suicide has on the Golden community, promote suicide prevention efforts and conversations, and remember those lost to suicide.
“I thought that the remembrance walk was cool because we got to see families from the community that struggled with these things and that resonated with me,” Minnihan says. “That just brought together a sense of community, not only a Mines or Alpha Phi Omega event, but as a Golden community event.” He also believes that it could help others realize the extent of suicide in the community and its prevalence in society. Minnihan said seeing the amount of those impacted by suicide is disheartening but the community coming together was empowering.
APO’s National Service Week impacted many people on campus and in the community. Hopefully, Mines and Golden will continue advocating for suicide prevention and carry with them their newfound knowledge and resources.
