by Krystal Paco

Guam - With Christmas and New Years around the corner, not everyone is feeling the holiday's highs. The Holiday Hotline returns, but is in need of volunteers to keep the service running.

"What it does is provides safety to the community through verbal intervention and there are several outlets that the community can reach out to. There are about 120 that includes us, the Alee Shelter, Adult Protective Services, and many others," said Gayle Osborn a prevention and training program coordinator. She says the holidays can bring sadness to many, evident by the Holiday Hotline's demand year after year since its start in 1984. Osborn says on average, the hotline receives 30 to 40 calls from those feeling the holiday blues.

She explained, "Safety is always important. Prevention should always be everyone's number one concern during the holidays because not everyone is happy during the holidays, as well. People suffer with loneliness depression especially when you have loved ones who are deployed. You have a long distance relationship those are the hardest, then you have those who are thinking and still grieving and mourning for their loved ones who have passed on throughout the years."

Osborn says although there will be two Mental Health professionals available for the service, which runs from Christmas Eve to December 26 and New Year's Eve through January 2, up to 20 volunteers are needed. "If they have nothing to do during the holidays and they want to help others, this is the place to be," she said.

Volunteers must be trained to provide immediate crisis intervention. Training is set for December 15.

For more information, contact Peter Cruz at 477-8861/2/3.