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"Suicidal thoughts can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, race, orientation, income level or background," Montgomery County board member Megan Beeler said as she read a proclamation Tuesday recognizing October as Suicide Prevention Month in the county.

The board adopted the resolution unanimously after Beeler read it to the room. In the proclamation, she noted some statistics about suicide in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 41,000 people die by suicide each year. She also said that suicide is the tenth leading cause of death among adults in the U.S. And the second leading cause of death among people between the ages of 10 and 24.

"Every member of our community should understand that throughout life's struggles, we need an occasional reminder that we all silently fight our own battles," she said.

The proclamation was presented to Wayne Wedekind, who serves on the board of directors of Crossover Ministries. The group is a local non-profit organization that assists people who are considering suicide as well as those affected by the loss of a friend or family member to suicide.

The next Montgomery County Board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 13, at 8:30 a.m.