May is nationally recognized as mental health month and as you might notice when driving through Old Orchard Beach yellow tulips have begun popping up left and right. This is due to the town's partnership with the Yellow Tulip Project, a youth-driven organization that is focused on smashing the stigma surrounding mental health.

Over the past few years suicide rates in Maine have risen and remain above the national average. The Yellow Tulip Project, which was founded by Julia Hansen in Portland, Maine after the loss of two of her friends to suicide, is determined to create more awareness around mental health and to provide a reminder to all that no one needs to struggle alone. The YTP now has over 400 ambassadors, is active in 36 states and 5 countries with plans to continually expand.

The national theme the YTP has chosen this May is Tails and Tulips. They are encouraging people to get moving with their four-legged friends, as there is a strong connection between physical and mental health. They also raise awareness throughout the year with the I Am More project, a traveling exhibit of shared stories about mental health.

The tulip gardens are not only a sign of happiness as the color yellow oft signifies, but a sign of hope. Each garden means that a community has come together to support one another. This has no doubt been proven true in Old Orchard Beach as even those who come into town using the I-95 are made aware of mental health month.

Old Orchard Beach became involved with this project due to the work of Pat Wright and Judy Brown, who are a part of the OOB Community Friendly Connection. They began the Yellow Tulip project alongside the police and fire department, as well as the town library.

They reached out to the guidance director at Old Orchard Beach High School, who happens to be my mother, to include them in the project. The guidance director, Elizabeth Roe, said that working with the town “has been really nice, especially being a part of a community project that wraps around so many places.”

The high school's mental health group, The Flock, which I am a part of, became student ambassadors for the project. The Flock has also participated in other mental health initiatives such as Dip Down to Rise Up, which is an experience centered around empowering women and prioritizing mental health. During the beginning of this month we gave out bracelets with inspiring messages, which ran out by the first bell. Like the Yellow Tulip project, the Flock is focussed on destigmatizing mental health, just on a much smaller level. Although we are a very small club, the work that has been done has improved our school greatly, making it not only a joy, but an immense honor to be a part of it.

Alongside this effort bulbs were also given out to students and other volunteers so they could plant tulips themselves.

Bulbs were planted throughout the town this fall and can now be seen blooming at the police station, fire station, town hall, high school and town library. Old Orchard Beach has no doubt proved itself true this May as the little town with the big heart.

Upcoming mental health awareness events at the Libby Memorial Library, 27 Staples St, Old Orchard Beach

Mental health for Teens presentation led by Old Orchard Beach Police Department Social Services Navigator Olivia Dubois, 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., May 25.

Mental health for Adults presentation led by Jamie Baburek from Milestone Recovery,  5 p.m. to 6 p.m., May 31.

Intern Margaret Roe is a graduating senior at Old Orchard Beach High School.