To spread suicide awareness, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is hosting an Out of the Darkness Community Walk on Sep. 30 at 9 a.m.
According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, “The walk is a journey of remembrance, hope, and support. It unites our communities and provides an opportunity to acknowledge the ways in which suicide and mental health conditions have affected our lives and the lives of those we love and care about.”
Walk Chair Cindi Gullixson said she wanted to spread awareness and offer support to those who have been impacted by suicide or find themselves struggling mentally.
“I think a lot of people have been affected by suicide,” Gullixson said. “They [the AFSP] try to bring awareness and help you, like if you see someone who is hurting or help you go through the healing process.”
The walk will start at Sparks Hall, then the group will move onto North 16th Street before eventually crossing the pedestrian bridge and walking through the main stretch of campus before returning to Sparks Hall. Gullixson estimates the walk will take an hour.
Participants who have personally lost someone to suicide are offered honor beads to represent the loved ones they have lost.
Gullixson said planning the event has been a little overwhelming, with preparations starting around the beginning of July.
“I think that is why I didn’t get a lot of sponsors. I didn’t have a lot of time to,” Gullixson said. “Thank God for my husband. He has been helping me raise money and get the word out.”
For those unable to physically participate, the walk also takes donations, which support those in need and connect them to resources. The walk has raised over $2,000, with over $700 coming from the friends and brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon, the fraternity Gullixson’s late son was a member of. Gullixson said over 20 Sigma Phi Epsilon members plan to participate in the walk and volunteer their time.
If you are dealing with suicidal thoughts, call the 24-hour national crisis lifeline at 988 or text the crisis line at 741-741.
You can also visit the Murray State Counseling Center, which has a counselor on call for crisis situations from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday during the academic year. All services are confidential and free to students.
Anyone interested in participating in or donating to the walk can do so at https://supporting.afsp.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=donorDrive.event&eventID=9651.
