Good News Club forms in Phillips County

About a dozen people met at what will soon be known as Ray J’s in Malta at the beginning of the month to let people know what their vision of the Good News Club and to ascertain the needs of the people in Phillips County who deal with depression.

“I want to promote the message of sensitivity to suicide,” Steve Heppner said. “I just want to create this type of ad hock meeting where you can say to your friend, ‘how are you doing and has suicide ever entered your mind?’”

Raymond Harms, another founder of the Good News Club, said that one of his goals for the group is to intermingle youth with the elderly.

“I think those are the two groups who suffer the most from depression,” Harms said.

Greg Skiff, the third founding member of the Good News Club, said his goal for the group is to help as many people as he can, regardless of their situation.

“If people see me around enough then maybe they will come up to me and talk about anything they are having trouble with,” Skiff said. “Hopefully, if they see my face out there enough, people will know that I care and that they can talk to me.”

Skiff said that he is willing to help people with anything they might be having a tough time dealing with.

“Maybe an older person might need help putting a railing up,” he said. “Or if someone is having a big dinner and needs someone to wash dishes or help out, all they have to do is find me and ask. I will be more than willing to help and I will find others to help as well.”

Harms said that he remembers a time when his grandmother would host a type of Good News Club where children would come to her house after school and she would read Bible stories or simply lend a sympathetic ear.

“My grandmother and grandfather were very faith based,” Harms continued. “But they would also just listen to us children and offer advice or guidance. So that is where the Good News Club is coming from in my mind.”

One Malta couple showed up to the first Good News Club event because they are both interested in the prevention of depression and suicide. The yboth spoke of how they have personally had to deal with the suicide of a loved one.

“When we went through it there wasn’t anyone to talk to and people get embarrassed and feel shame,” the wife said. “I know this firsthand. After it happened there was this great weight on us and it took almost a year to get over it. I think it is important that people have someone to talk to when this happens and not feel ashamed or embarrassed.”

Skiff said that one of the biggest problems for people suffering from depression is the feeling that they will be judged if they talk about their current situation. He said a goal of the Good News Club is to help people, no matter what.

“Sometimes people just need someone to talk to and not be judged,” he said. “I am a good listener and I can always make myself available for a conversation about anything.”

In the early stages of the Good News Club, Heppner, Skiff and Harms are meeting at Crossroads Coffee in Malta on Wednesdays around lunchtime to sit and talk about how the group can help out in the community. Everyone is always invited. The club is also looking to make a calendar of events where their assistance may be needed.

“It’s also a way for me to get out of my office and make new friends,” Heppner said. “

“One of the goals we have is to have at least one event for our area’s youth per month,” added Harms.

The Good News Club recently started a Facebook Group which can be found at http://www.facebook.com/groups/Maltasgoodnewsclub/ and Harms (301-2440), Skiff (654-7505) and Heppner (390-0012) encourage anyone interested in joining the club, having ideas for the club, needing the club’s assistance or simply needing someone to talk with to give them a call.

“We just want to promote the word of hope,” Harms said.