The  988 Awareness Project Sponsors Lighting Ceremony to Light the Welcome to Las Vegas Sign Purpose in Recognition of Suicide Prevention Month

The 988 Awareness Project was thrilled to co-sponsor a lighting ceremony, with Hope Means Nevada, on September 12, to light the iconic Welcome to Las Vegas sign purple in recognition of Suicide Prevention Awareness month. Clark County Commissioners Michael Naft and Justin Jones were present at the ceremony and our President, Payson Cunningham, spoke at the event which was covered by major media networks. As Payson so poignantly said during her speech, the 988 Awareness Project “is proud to team up with Hope Means Nevada to increase mental health awareness and spread the word about the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Together, we’re working to ensure that every person in our community knows they have someone to turn to in times of crisis. Today’s lighting symbolizes hope, support, and our collective commitment to making Las Vegas a city where mental health matters and help is always within reach.”

Hope Means Nevada has been a treasured partner of the 988 Awareness Project over the years, and is a Nevada-based nonprofit whose mission is to increase teen mental wellness and reduce teen suicide in Nevada.

Also in attendance were Boys Town Nevada and Jason Lamberth, who established the nonprofit Hailee’s Hope after losing his daughter to suicide 11 years ago. Hailee’s Hope is a Nevada-based nonprofit foundation focused on suicide prevention and awareness.

This year, Suicide Prevention Week is recognized Sunday, September 8 through Saturday, September 14. Other Las Vegas landmarks going purple are the Las Vegas Strip High Roller Observation Wheel and the Eiffel Tower Paris Las Vegas. The Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas sign is located on the Las Vegas Strip south of Russell Road and was created in 1959 after the Clark County Commission approved funding for the project on what was then Highway 91. The design, characteristic of the Googie architecture movement, was created by Betty Willis. The 25-foot-tall sign was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2009, Clark County’s centennial year.