By 10:30 a.m. 175 people were already lined up outside Blueprint Ink Tattoo parlor to get semicolon-shaped tattoos as part of Project Semicolon Sault Ste. Marie, an event which aims to raise awareness and funds towards mental health issues.
The event began just before 10 a.m. when organizer Melissa Cutler got the first tattoo by parlor owner Brad Dicandia in the crowded Trunk Street Tattoo parlor.
600 semicolon-shaped tattoos are expected to be done over the course of two days by Dicandia along with fellow artists Ryan Michaud and Paul Shelly, who donated their time to the event.
While the “popular spot” to get tattooed is on the wrist attendees were getting tattoos on their hands, backs, and head, amongst other places.
The tattoos are being inked on a first-come-first-serve basis at special charity-subsidized cost of $20.
In order to get a tattoo people have to line up at the parlor at 21 Trunk road, in the same building as the Harvey’s Restaurant.
442 people have said they will attend according to the project’s Facebook page.
“(600) is an (extremely) high number of tattoos,“ said Dicandia. “The amount of people that are going to be walking through these doors is going to be ridiculous.”
The event was originally planned to end Friday but was extended into Saturday (12 p.m. - 8 p.m.) due to public demand.
Eikon Tattoo Equipment and Supplies donated enough tubes, needles and ink to tattoo 600 individuals and once these are depleted tattoos will still be available but at the cost of $40 instead of $20, to compensate for Blueprint Ink using their own supplies.
Project Semicolon is a global initiative to raise awareness about mental health and it was brought to Sault Ste. Marie when Cutler was encouraged to get a tattoo from friends who had been to the www.projectsemicolon.com website.
Amy Bleuel, Founder and President of the group, wrote in an email that Semicolon events have happened across the United States as well Africa, Europe, and Australia, amongst other places although the website is not connected with the Sault event.
Cutler says she hopes the event will erase the “social stigma” associated with mental health and that the tattoos will help starts conversations.
The semicolon symbol is a message of hope for people dealing with mental illness.
“A semicolon is used in a sentence when it should have ended, but it doesn’t, which is like life – you can choose to end your life or to keep ongoing,” said Cutler who, at 22 years old, has struggled with depression and anxiety issues for over ten years.
Cutler’s mental health issues were so severe that she would get psychogenic non-epileptic seizures and in February 2015 she attempted suicide by overdose.
For Cutler, the semicolon tattoo is part of her healing process.
“I want to get this tattoo as a promise to others that I will not try to end my life again. I devastated a lot of people when I tried to kill myself," she said. "I just want to get this tattoo to try and say I’m sorry.”
Lisa Carricato Mental Health Educator with the Canadian Mental Health Centre was at the event to answer questions about mental health issues.
In an earlier interview Carricato said it’s likely 15,000 out of the Sault’s 75,000 population are living with a mental health issue.
Profits from the Sault Ste. Marie event will be donated to CMHA and Sault Area Hospital Mental Health and Addictions.
(PHOTO: Melissa Cutler models her new semicolon tattoo at Blue Prints. Jeff Klassen/SooToday.)
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