"In Their Shoes" - A Social Art Installation presented by The Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands

An exhibition of 249 pairs of shoes entitled “In Their Shoes” will be on display at the Maser Gallery at Falmouth Community Television, 310A Dillingham Avenue in Falmouth from March 24 through April 3, 2014. The public is invited to view this exhibit any time during gallery hours: Sunday & Monday, 2 -10 p.m., Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, 10 -10 p.m., Friday 10 - 6 p.m.

The Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands is a non-denominational, non-profit volunteer organization providing suicide prevention services on Cape Cod and the Islands. By providing insight into the thoughts of a suicidal person, the goal of the exhibit is to draw attention to both the high suicide rate here on Cape Cod and the Islands, as well as to suicide prevention efforts available to individuals in need. “In Their Shoes” contains 249 pairs of shoes - each pair representing a life lost to suicide on the Cape between 2000 and 2009. The shoes do not represent any actual person or persons who have died by suicide, but simply represent a statistic that illustrates the extent of suicide in our community. The exhibit aims to make it harder for viewers to distance themselves from a serious issue that affects so many in our community.

The project was inspired by the “Whose Shoes?” project displayed by The Bridge Rail Foundation in May 2012 at the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, California.  

The Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands is very proud to be a recipient of the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention’s Leadership in Suicide Prevention Award.  Senator Therese Murray and Representative Tim Madden presented the award at the MCSP’s 15th Annual State House event in Boston on Monday, February 10, 2014.

“As always, our thoughts are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to suicide. Our hope is that this project will help those people who are in pain to know that they are not alone, that there is hope.” – The Samaritans on Cape Cod and the Islands.

The Samaritans can be reached at 508-548-7999 (office line) and the crisis lines: 508-548-8900 and 800-893-9900.