From left, Katherine Whitney, Sabrina Keene and Ashley McCarthy plant and fertilize tulip bulbs outside of the Medical Arts Center on Nov. 4 at the Yellow Tulip Project event at MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington. Leo Goddard/Franklin Journal

FARMINGTON – Monday, Nov. 4, employees at MaineHealth Franklin Hospital planted 100 tulip bulbs outside of the Medical Arts Center.

From left, Community Health Center for Health Improvement Director LeeAnna Lavoie hands Jennifer Stevens tulip bulbs outside of the Medical Arts Center on Nov. 4 at the Yellow Tulip Project event at MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington. Leo Goddard/Franklin Journal

LeeAnna Lavoie, the director of the Community Health Center for Health Improvement, gave a brief speech before the planting began. She introduced The Yellow Tulip Project, a project that a highschooler started with her mom after losing two friends to suicide. The yellow tulips are meant to represent happiness and hope. They have become a symbol of encouragement in talking openly about mental health due to the project.

Lavoie also talked about The Trevor Project, a project that focuses on crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ+ youth 25 years old and younger. Lavoie reiterated their mission to create safe, inclusive environments for everyone. According to a survey done by the Center for Disease Control [CDC], 20% of highschoolers in 2023 seriously considered committing suicide and 41% of those students identified as LGBTQ+.

In Franklin County, 1,407 high schoolers took the Integrated Youth Health Survey. The survey concluded that 37.4% of students felt “so sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more in a row that [they] stopped doing some usual activities.” Only 28.4% of those students said that they sought help and over 56% of students also answered that they felt they did not matter in their community.

From left Jolene Luce and Jennifer Stevens plant tulips together outside the Medical Arts Center on Nov. 4 at the Yellow Tulip Project event at MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington. Leo Goddard/Franklin Journal

Lavoie read some of the biggest symptoms to look out for in youth that might signify thoughts of suicide. They included seeming withdrawn, weight fluctuation, drug abuse, mood swings, and difficulty concentrating all over the span of two weeks or more. Lavoie urged parents to start the conversation using a gentle approach using phrases like, “I’ve noticed…” or “tell me more.” She implored youth to speak up and for parents to offer support and reach out for help or resources if necessary.

Amanda Comeau waters planted tulips outside of the Medical Arts Center on Nov. 4 at the Yellow Tulip Project event at MaineHealth Franklin Hospital in Farmington.

After the speech, employees of MaineHealth planted yellow tulip bulbs into pre-drilled holes. Participants removed any excess dirt, placed a bulb in each hole with the point of the bulb facing up, then sprinkled fertilizer and rodent repellent on top before covering it with mulch and watering it. Everyone took part in planting and watering the bulbs.

Tulips needed to be planted during periods of cold climates in order to sprout in the spring, very symbolic of cold and dark times many who struggle with mental illness endure.

Tim Kachnovich of T&T Landscaping drilled the holes and planted many other bulbs on the hospital’s campus for a total of 260 tulips.

For those feeling hopeless and/or experiencing thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Hotline at 988 or text the Crisis Text Line at 741741. The Trevor Project also has a suicide hotline for LGBTQ+ youth. This can be used by calling 1-866-488-7386, texting START to 678-678, or by chatting online on their website at https://chat.trvr.org/.