Okeechobee commissioners proclaim Constitution Week, Hunger Action Month and Suicide Prevention Month

The Okeechobee County Board of County Commissioners opened its regular meeting with three proclamations that the board said recognize civic observances and encourage local action.

The board designated Sept. 17–23 as U.S. Constitution Week and heard remarks from Lonnie Kirsch of the Daughters of the American Revolution, who urged residents to read the Constitution and visit a library display. The board also proclaimed September as Hunger Action Month; Gary Porter, director of community relations for the Treasure Coast Food Bank, thanked the board and said the food bank and its network serve regional partners. "There are 250,000 individuals being served each week from treasure coast food bank," Porter said, describing partner events and local distributions.

Commissioners also proclaimed September as National Suicide Awareness and Prevention Month. Leah Suarez, introduced by staff as a community survivor and advocate, described local trends and the personal impact of efforts to prevent suicide. Tracy Hernandez of Suncoast Mental Health promoted a Sept. 20 suicide-prevention symposium in Stuart and left flyers for commissioners and attendees.

Why it matters: The proclamations formalize county support for community partners and public-awareness activities that county staff and nonprofits said augment local services and prevention efforts. Commissioners asked staff to share event materials and noted the county’s role in public outreach.

The board took no policy action on the proclamations beyond adoption; each proclamation was accepted by unanimous voice vote.