Clothes Circuit and Fashion Stars hosted ‘Shine On!’ December 4, a shopping event benefiting The Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas. Clothes Circuit is a resale designer handbag, clothing and jewelry store located on Preston Road in Dallas.

Clothes Circuit first opened in 1983 and has since made a name for itself as a premiere designer resale store in Dallas. The Fashion Stars for a Cause is a group of compassionate women in Dallas, chosen by the head of The Suicide and Crisis Center, Yvonne Crum, who act as fundraising ambassadors for the nonprofit organization. Fashion Stars this year included the likes of Janet LaBarba, Kathy Fielder, Jayne Herring, Jennifer Long and Natalie Westbrook, who all hosted this night’s event.

Irene Mylan, Owner of Clothes Circuit, said she has supported Yvvone Crum, founder of the Suicide Crisis Center of North Texas, and the organization for a long time.

“We have been supporting Yvonne and Suicide and Crisis Center for years, decades,” Crum said.

“Irene was very kind and generous and has Clothes Circuit hosting this wonderful event so we can give a percentage of sales back… It has been a really good partnership all around,” Alison Volk of Volk PR said.

The Suicide and Crisis Center was founded in 1969 and has helped many people since.

“It’s a place you can feel like you’ve helped somebody everyday. I feel like we make a difference in the lives of hundreds of people,” Margie Wright, Executive Director of the Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas said.

“We have a 24-hour crisis line, take about 25,000 calls in a year, have survivors of suicide support groups and serve over 1,000 people,” Wright said.

Wright said she believes people who have suffered the loss of a loved one by suicide are the ones who often times need help.

“People don’t realize that people who need these services the most are people who have lost someone to suicide,” Wright said. “People who lost someone to suicide are probably four times more likely to commit suicide themselves. I think that’s the biggest piece of suicide prevention we do.”

The Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas also hosts programs aimed toward teenagers.

“We have a real awesome program called ‘Teens Can Survive,’ we go into the schools and screen the kids for suicidality and depression,” Wright said. “We serve about 16,000 – 18,000 kids a year in the Dallas area.”

Suicide is a huge issue and one that needs to continue to be addressed, according to Wright.

“There are many more suicides in the country than there are homicides — it’s a big problem,” Wright said.

The Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas offers a sense of community and safety, according Crum.

“The thing about the Center that is so wonderful is they have a Survivors of Suicide program, a program where you can go sit in a group with eight to 12 people who have lost someone to suicide like you have, and you can say ‘I know how you feel’ and they actually do know how you feel,” Crum said.

Crum said she believes The Center has been vital in suicide prevention.

“I think it’s really been a life saver, because there are very few places where you can go and you can find other people that really can say, ‘I know what you are going through,'” Crum said.

Fashion Stars is an annual event that benefits The Suicide and Crisis Center. Each Fashion Star is responsible for selling raffle tickets and tables for the annual March fundraiser.

“The girls are all very supportive, we’re bringing in a great network to the event,” Volk said.

Jayne Herring was one of the Fashion Stars hosting ‘Shine On!.’ It’s a role she is truly passionate about.

“I’ve known Yvvonne Crum for a long time, she is always amazing at what she does and I’ve always wanted to be involved with her,” Herring said. “I left Dallas for a couple years and when I came back I was struggling with depression and anxiety disorders that I was ashamed about and didn’t want to talk about. And when I saw her at one of these events, and I started talking to her about it, we realized that that was the problem — people are afraid to talk about what is actually afflicting us at one point or another in our lives.”

Herring didn’t have to think twice about becoming a Fashion Star when asked to join.

“When Yvonne asked me if I would be a Fashion Star for Fashion Stars for a Cause I said absolutely,” Herring said. “There have been so many heartbreaking stories of young students especially, committing suicide in Dallas and all throughout the country, whatever I can do to help spread that word that what you are going through will pass and there is no need to make a finite decision when someone that you are going through is not finite at all.”

Herring is devoted to her role as a Fashion Star and the work she does with The Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas.

“I am committed to this cause and will be putting a lot of my extra work into it,” Herring said.

By bringing fashion into the mix of suicide prevention, the topic is discussed in a casual atmosphere that brings people together.

“People say, ‘oh fashion event, let’s go’ and while you’re there you’re educated on what this center does, what they need and help raise money for them and awareness,” Herring said.

Kathy Fielder was another Fashion Star hosting the event. She is also passionate about bringing light to this issue through the platform she has.

“It’s one of those things where you are promoting an amazing cause,” Fielder said. “It’s really not about being a star, it’s more so about the cause and how much it matters. Suicide prevention is something that everyone should be engaged in because I think all of us have been touched by it.”

Fielder commended the work the Suicide Prevention Center of North Texas has done so far and will continuing doing in the Dallas area.

“The Suicide Prevention Center of North Texas really does a stellar job of really engaging people and hoping to counteract some of the awful things that happen to the people around us,” Fielder said.

Not many business take a night out of their regular hours to give back to a cause such as The Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas. These business are important in our community, according to Fielder.

“They were gracious enough to open up their doors and give back to a cause that really matters,” Fielder said. “The fact that Clothes Circuit is willing to open up their doors and help this cause is really exceptional.”

Twenty percent of the proceeds during the shopping event benefited The Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas.

To learn more about The Suicide and Crisis Center of North Texas visit their website at http://www.sccenter.org/.