CHIÈVRES, Belgium -- As the "Star-Spangled Banner" began playing Sept. 22, 2017, at noon, participants took to the winners' podium. It was as if the Olympic Games had come to the SHAPE Fitness Center.
In observance of Suicide Prevention Month, U.S. Army Garrison Benelux organized a Suicide Stand-Down Resiliency Olympics for Soldiers, Department of the Army civilians and families.
This year's theme was "Be There. Your Actions Could Save A Life." The event focused on resiliency building skills that reduce suicide risk through competitions like volleyball, basketball, soccer, tug-o-war and Pictionary.
Ten teams participated in the event. Teams were randomly selected and chosen from installation tenants and garrison units. At each station, players were given a lesson on a skill linked to the activity: decision-making for basketball, mindfulness for Pictionary, communication skills for tug-o-war, stress management for soccer and building supportive relationships for volleyball.
In this competition, teams scored points not by winning the actual match but by using the skills they had been taught earlier in the day. "People learn better this way," said Chaplain Army Maj. Ronald Boyd who taught a class on effective communication for relationships. "You have to pull at the same time, and even small teams can win," Boyd said about the tug-o-war event.
At the end of the competition, Col. Kurt Connell, garrison commander, congratulated everyone for their efforts and gave medals to the three best teams. "Communicate that message and inspire other people," he said.
Team number 6 came in first place. However, for the participants, it was not winning medals. As a participant said during the competition, "Everybody won."
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