Giving to Grace

Sitting on a small table in StrongTower Designs in Saratoga is a boot filled with bright yellow feathers.

They’re so bright it is difficult not to notice them when walking through the building. More than just table decoration, the feathers are the symbol of the Cheyenne Frontier Days Foundation’s “Pick Up Man” campaign.

“In western culture, a lot of folks will wear feathers in their hats. Yellow is the ribbon color for suicide prevention,” said Jeremy bay, executive director of Grace for 2 Brothers. “In a bigger effort to connect to that cowboy community, rather than do ribbons they decided they were going to do yellow feathers.”

Grace for 2 Brothers is a Cheyenne-based non-profit formed in 2010. According to Bay, the organization was formed after B.J. Ayers—the founder—lost two of her three sons to suicide.

“The organization really started because there was a recognition that there were no postvention resources available,” said Bay. “There was nothing available for people grieving that loss.”

Since then, Grace for 2 Brothers has been focused on providing “education, intervention and resources to individuals who need mental health assistance and facilities support to persons impacted by suicide in Wyoming,” according to their website.

“What we know is, in an average community, every suicide affects about 135 people. We look at it as a pond (ripple) effect. Throw a rock in a pond and that first wave is people who directly knew people (who took their own lives),” said Bay. “The people in that circle are the most profoundly affected. Average number, evidence shows, that those six people are profoundly affected to the fact that that grief and that loss affects their ability to work, ability of function day-to-day”.

It is this impact which led Sophia Borg, of Palomino Hat Bar, and Ray and Jamie Bernal, of StrongTower Designs, to give their own support to Grace for 2 Brothers and the Cheyenne Frontier Days Foundation.

“The Bernals—Jamie and Ray—and I have personally been affected by suicide. Then, coming from three generations of (farmers), it’s tough,” said Borg. “You pray to God every single day for rain or for sunshine, for good weather or for bad weather. Just when all the weather’s right, then the tractor breaks down.”

In the state of Wyoming, it is estimated by the Wyoming Department of Health that somebody dies from suicide every two days. Wyoming’s suicide rate, in fact, is double the national average at 31.1 deaths per 100,000 as of 2020. According to Bay, there are a number of barriers to care in Wyoming, especially for those in the agriculture community.

“If there’s one therapist in town and you pull your pickup truck to that (location), everybody now knows that you’re going to see the therapist. I think that’s a contributing factor,” said Bay. “I think a lot of it is this rugged individualism mindset that we have in Wyoming.”

Along with a hesitancy to see a therapist, Bay said another barrier to care is the fact that most people in the agriculture and rodeo communities are either underinsured or uninsured. That can also be a stressor, especially as funds are often already stretched for the upkeep of equipment or may fall short when it comes to the sale of livestock or a lack of feed.

“They’re already trying everything they can to pay for what they’ve got to do. To get mental health care, or even healthcare in general, even that first step is a challenge. You look at mental healthcare, it’s $150 per session if you self pay,” said Bay.

Considering the other stressors affecting those in the agricultural community, Grace for 2 Brothers has partnered with the AgriStress Helpline thanks to a grant from the Wyoming Department of Agriculture.

“We’ve got a grant that allows us to pay for mental health care for people in the agriculture community. If people want to do that, all they need to do is reach out to their mental health care provider, have them contact us,” said Bay. “As long as they’re willing to sign off on a note and say ‘This is a medical necessity,’ they send us a bill and we’ll send them a payment for it. We’ll continue to do that until the money’s all gone.”

The AgriStress Helpline also serves as a resource beyond suicide awareness and prevention. According to Bay, the organization will help ranchers and farmers if a piece of equipment breaks down through the use of grants. Concern over equipment, said Bay, can be a significant stressor for those in the agricultural community.

Borg and the Bernals’ involvement with the Grace for 2 Brothers took place because of a request from Borg for yellow feathers. While making donations of their own to the organization, they also worked to get other businesses in Saratoga involved. Beginning in September, Grace for 2 Brothers will be holding an online auction of yellow items. Of those items, approximately $2,500 worth come from Saratoga, thanks to StrongTower Designs and Palomino Hat Bar reaching out to other businesses.

Funds raised by the auction will go towards Grace for 2 Brothers and it’s goal of education and prevention with programs such as Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASSIST) and QPR (Question, Persude, Refer). According to Bay, a goal for the organization is to get more people talking about mental health.

“We want people to talk about it. We want people to normalize (talking about mental health). Your brain is an organ, just like your appendix,” said Bay. “Take care of it and don’t be afraid to talk about it.”

The AgriStress Helpline number is 833-897-2474. For more information about Grace for 2 Brothers, visit www.gracefor2brothers.org. If you or someone you know is struggling with mental health, please call 988.