Renapalooza: Raising awareness for suicide prevention

Kailei Jarvis lost her eldest daughter, Serena, to suicide on March 4, 2020. Serena’s birthday is July 31, a day that now holds even more significance for Kailei and her family.Described as a “spitfire and moonbeams,” Serena stood at 5 feet 5 inches tall but had a personality that made her seem much taller.She loved animals, anime, spooky and horror themes, comics, and makeup, and was an artist, just like many in her family. She loved her family, friends, and loved ones fiercely.In 2022, what began as a simple idea to get a tattoo on Serena’s birthday turned into a fundraising event called "Renapalooza".This event raised $112 for their community’s suicide prevention awareness organization, which supports those affected by suicide and raises awareness.This year's event will take place July 27 from 9am-10pm at the State Theater in Logansport, IN and has grown even more, with a bigger venue and three tattoo artists. In addition to the suicide awareness tattoos from previous years, they are also offering tattoos for organ donation, fulfilling Serena’s last wish to be an organ donor.The event has also expanded to include music, with seven bands and solo artists performing, and hopes for even more.Kailei is seeking donations for goody bags for those who get tattoos or items for the auction. All proceeds go to a college scholarship in Serena’s honor, aimed at C-average students who have survived suicide or are struggling with mental health and are pursuing a career in mental health or as a large animal vet like Serena aspired to be.Kailei’s goal is to prevent other parents from experiencing the tremendous grief she has endured and to raise awareness to help prevent suicide.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.