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Out of the Darkness Community Walk in The Woodlands for suicide awareness set for Nov. 1

By: Donna Wick Publicity
| Published 10/14/2014

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THE WOODLANDS, Texas - Members of the Houston community whose lives have been affected by suicide will come together on Saturday, Nov. 1, at Town Green Center in The Woodlands for the Out of the Darkness Community Walk. Last year, more than 1,000 people joined in a celebration of loved ones lost and raised awareness for suicide prevention. This year’s event has grown to include community resource tables, vendors, and numerous ways to honor loved ones.

“It is so healing to have so many people come together,” said Cindy Cline, the 2013 community walk keynote speaker and author of “Always Hope.” Cline turned her own pain from suicide in her immediate family into a drive to collect stories of hope and resilience for her books and motivational speeches. “I will be out there again this year to raise awareness—and share tears, happiness and remembrance. It is a powerful coming together.”

Those interested in attending may sign up online at www.afsp.org by Oct. 31 or register at the event from 8:30 to 10 a.m. The opening program and speakers begin at 10 a.m., followed by the walk. After the walk, speakers, memory displays and community resources will provide a comforting atmosphere. The Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA), Live Beautiful Now and the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) will also be present to offer support and educational opportunities. The event concludes at 1 p.m.

“One of the things that makes our walk really special is our memorial hearts,” said Wykisha McKinney, board member for the Greater Houston Area chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and community chair of the Out of the Darkness Community Walk in The Woodlands. “We have little blue hearts with the names of loved ones that we’ve lost. We’ll have those on display.”

Additionally, participants can donate to a “shoe garden” that represents the impact of losses to suicide. “It gives a visual to the statistic that six to eight people are affected by every one suicide loss,” McKinney said. While many family and friends of suicide victims may feel isolated, suicide reaches deeply into the community. “For a newcomer to the walk, the event can be surprising and overwhelming. It is such a celebratory event. We reserve time for remembrance, but it is warm and welcome. I have never felt so much love from the community in my life.”

In the United States alone, a person dies from suicide every 13.3 minutes. “It is so important to raise awareness about depression, mental illness and suicide,” Cline said. “We want to identify those who need help. Reaching out to them and to family members is so important.”

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention hopes to raise $150,000 at the event—almost $47,000 has been committed to date.

For more information about the Out of the Darkness Community Walk, please visit www.afsp.org.

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