Midwest Championship Fighting, Cervelle Consulting Services Inc. and the D&N Event Center are joining forces in Lincoln County and offering Suicide Prevention Training for the community. The three groups were brought together by the unfortunate death of Kyle MacDonald, brother of local MMA fighter Ryan “Main Event” MacDonald. MCF recently hosted an MMA event in honor of Kyle at the D&N Event Center.

QPR Training for Suicide Prevention will be offered free of charge to the public on the third Thursday of each month beginning November 16, 2017 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the D&N Event Center. People that attend the training will learn how to recognize the warning signs of a suicide crisis and how to question, persuade and refer (QPR) someone to help. Much like CPR or the Heimlich Maneuver, the fundamentals of QPR are easily learned, and the application may save a life. The training is being sponsored by a collaborative effort from Russ Jones and Midwest Championship Fighting, Brenda Petersen of Cervelle Consulting Services, and Tad Haneborg of the D&N Event Center in North Platte, Nebraska. The class will be taught at the D&N Event Center by Dr. Brenda R. Petersen, CEO of Cervelle Consulting. She is currently a certified master trainer and spokesperson for The National Council for Behavioral Health’s Mental Health First Aid and the QPR programs, traveling nationwide to build mental health literacy, helping the public identify, understand, and respond to signs of both mental illness, mental health crisis, both of which can lead to suicidal thoughts and behaviors. Dr. Petersen has personally trained the majority of local law enforcement officers in suicide awareness and prevention.

The November class will focus specifically on veteran suicides, and utilize methods specifically geared toward helping veterans and those close to them to recognize the signs and symptoms of suicidal ideology. Everyone is welcome to attend the November 16 class and learn how to help save a life from suicide. If you plan to attend, please call or email at 308.530.4747 or [email protected] by November 15th for the November class. Additional information on QPR can be found at: www.qprinstitute.com.