Strings Music Festival will host one of the region’s most important mental health fundraising events this weekend when it features the Reaching Everyone Preventing Suicide (REPS) Night of Hope and Healing.

Entering its fourth year, the event has become one of the region’s most significant gatherings for addressing mental health challenges and suicide.

The event, which will begin at 6 p.m. Saturday, features the return of New Orleans-based musician Hans Williams. His songs, shaped by his own personal encounters with suicide and mental health struggles, have resonated deeply with listeners throughout the world.

The Night of Hope and Healing began as a way to bring people together in remembrance of those lost to suicide while simultaneously creating a safe space for connection and community. Since it began, it has evolved into a reflection of hope where candles are lit, stories are shared and music helps people heal together.

Mindy Marriott, executive director of REPS, said the event’s purpose has remained constant even as it has grown in size and reach.

“Its objective has always been twofold: to reduce stigma around mental health and suicide loss, and to provide a safe, supportive environment where healing can take place collectively,” she said.

The evening combines storytelling, music and opportunities to connect with resources while also offering comfort and pathways to support.

REPS is the Yampa Valley’s leading nonprofit dedicated to suicide prevention, education and crisis support. The organization provides intervention and postvention services, free counseling and outreach aimed at the whole community as well as at-risk groups.

Since last year’s Night of Hope and Healing, REPS has undergone restructuring to strengthen sustainability and staff wellbeing. Marriott said the shifts allowed the team to share responsibilities more evenly and expand program coverage.

“The goal was to ensure REPS remains agile, resilient and responsive to the community’s growing mental health needs,” she said.

That need has grown more urgent in the past year as rising costs of living, lingering pandemic challenges and social isolation have strained residents across the region. Providers from therapists to crisis responders have been stretched thin as demand for mental health services has increased.

REPS has stepped in to fill those gaps and support providers, individuals and families in any way it can.

Marriott noted that certain groups remain at higher risk including youth and young adults, men working in service, construction and agriculture, and older adults who may feel isolated.

To meet those needs, REPS is continuing workplace outreach designed to reduce stigma among men in high-risk industries.

This year will feature a new venue as the event moves to Strings Music Festival, which offers professional acoustics, lighting and seating that will enhance Williams’ performance and the stories shared throughout the evening.

Marriott said the partnership with Strings was a natural fit.

“Their team deeply values community wellbeing and sees this event as aligned with their mission of using music to inspire and connect people,” she said.

The shift will allow for a larger audience and increased accessibility while also creating a more intimate atmosphere that Marriott hopes will deepen the event’s focus on hope.

Williams’ performance was memorable for many who attended last year’s Night of Hope and Healing. His openness about mental health and his willingness to share his own story gave the evening a sense of vulnerability that resonated throughout the hall.

Williams’ connection to suicide began in college when he acted as a first responder after a floormate took their life. He later reflected on the weight of that experience through his music. His 2020 song “Body on My Shoulders” confronts the guilt and burden he felt in the aftermath of the tragedy.

“The lyrics of the song led to people reaching out to me to share their own similar stories,” Williams said. “It gave me understanding and validation about how I felt.”

He explained that music became part of his mental health support, both as a way to process his experience and to find common ground with others who had faced similar loss.

“Me making music is just trying to find some common ground of understanding,” he said.

Marriott said Williams accepted the invitation to return without hesitation.

“His authenticity and ability to connect through music resonated deeply with the community,” she said. “When invited back, Hans immediately said yes, sharing that Steamboat felt like a second home because of the warmth and vulnerability he experienced here.”

Beyond remembrance, music and community, the Night of Hope and Healing is a critical fundraiser for REPS. Inflation and rising operational costs have placed pressure on nonprofits across the country, and REPS is no exception.

Its ability to continue providing free counseling, crisis support and outreach requires a steady revenue stream.

While community support remains strong, Marriott said events like this are essential to keeping programs alive.

“Every candle lit, every note of music played, every story shared reminds us that no one is alone,” she said. “Our community’s willingness to show up for one another continues to be the heartbeat of REPS’ work.”

The event is made possible through the support of local partners and sponsors who stand with REPS in its mission to prevent suicide and support those affected by it.

Title sponsors include the Verploeg Family, ACZ Labs, All Forms Fabrication and Mountain Valley Bank.

Hope sponsors include Glas Defferyn Ranch, Service Master Clean and Yampa Valley Bank.

Healing sponsors include Berlet Roofing, Billo, UC Health, James J. Moylan & Associates, the Michnay Family, Yampa Valley Psychotherapists LLC, Schmiggity’s Live Music & Dance Bar, Hendricks Team–SEEK Real Estate, Winter Sports Club and GroupGives Yampa Valley & The Metzler Team at The Group.

In-kind sponsors include Nature’s Design, Warhorse Ranch and Steamboat Radio.

As the Yampa Valley prepares to gather at Strings, the Night of Hope and Healing carries with it the stories of those lost, the strength of those who continue and the promise of collective resilience.

It is, as Marriott described, more than an event.

“It’s a movement of remembrance, resilience and collective care,” she said.

For more information on REPS and the Night of Hope and Healing, visit YampaValleyReps.org.