Student Veteran’s Association covered the sidewalks between the areas of Plumb Hall and Union Square with 242 chalk outlines during last week.
“We felt that saving a life is more important than someone feeling uncomfortable,” said Steven Brown, vice president of the SVA, navy veteran and junior communication and public relations major.
The chalk outlines are to raise awareness that approximately 22 veterans commit suicide each day, according to Michael White, president of SVA and freshman business management major.
The group began drawing the outlines Nov. 1 and continued until Veterans Day, according to Breeana Urrutia, SVA secretary and junior history major.
There have been students and faculty outside of the SVA who have volunteered to help draw the outlines, according to White. There were six to eight members of the group helping and about 15 people who volunteered.
The outlines were placed so that they would be in the walkway. The group wanted to make people feel bad for stepping on the outlines, according to Brown.
The group did receive complaints about the outlines triggering PTSD, but that did not stop their efforts.
“That (PTSD) was a concern, but realizing that the people who have actually come up to us and told us that they appreciate us doing this, I feel like we are doing more good than hurt,” White said.
Brown agreed with White.
“Our main goal is to save lives and if we can combat one part of suicide this way then we feel that saving a life is more important,” Brown said.