Tillamook Family Counseling Center and Tillamook County Suicide Prevention Coalition are excited to be working with senior Remi Wiser Searcy from Tillamook High School to bring an Out of the Darkness Campus Walk to Tillamook this spring as her senior project. The walk will take place on Saturday, March 14th at Tillamook High School. The event will open at 9:30am with registration, a resource fair, and other programming to support suicide loss survivors and promote suicide prevention. These will take place in the auxiliary gym. Opening ceremonies will be at 10am with the walk immediately following. The walk will be on the track, rain or shine, so please dress accordingly. There is no minimum distance to walk, we encourage folks to walk at a pace and distance that feels best for them within the timeframe of the walk. All ages are welcome to register and participate, yet please leave dogs at home.
The Out of the Darkness Campus Walks are the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP) signature student fundraising series, designed to engage youth and young adults in the fight to prevent suicide, the third leading cause of death among people ages 15-24. In AFSP’s walks, those affected by suicide and those who support them, raise awareness and much-needed funds, strongly sending the message that suicide can be prevented, and that no one is alone.
Established in 1987, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is a voluntary health organization that gives those affected by suicide a nationwide community empowered by research, education and advocacy to take action against this leading cause of death. Their mission is to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. They fund research to improve interventions, train clinicians in suicide prevention, and advocate for policies that will save lives. They work to find better ways to reach those who suffer, support those who’ve lost loved ones, and encourage schools, workplaces, and communities to make mental health a priority.
When Remi was asked why she wanted to bring an Out of the Darkness Campus Walk to Tillamook as her senior project, she stated “When the opportunity came for me to work on an Out of The Darkness Walk, I was excited! This would be the first big event that I have the privilege to put together, and it is something that is meaningful and can positively impact our community.” Sarah Ermer, the Prevention Specialist from TFCC, and co-lead of the Tillamook County Suicide Prevention Coalition, is Remi’s mentor. Amanda Ferrat, Lead of the Coalition, is supporting Sarah and Remi as the Walk Chair due to her prior involvement with AFSP and Out of the Darkness Walks. All three are looking forward to bringing an official AFSP Out of the Darkness Campus Walk to the Tillamook community and are hopeful members from the entire county will participate in the walk and fundraising efforts. 50% of the proceeds come back to our area in the form of programming that supports youth suicide prevention efforts.
Anyone and everyone is welcome to participate in the walk. Registration is strongly recommended for anyone 13 and older. Fundraising is not required for anyone that registers yet there are incentives from AFSP for those who do reach certain fundraising goals, the easiest to earn being a walk t-shirt for anyone that raises a minimum of $100. The t-shirts will be given to those who have raised their $100 at the walk on the 14th. To see the other possible prizes, check out the Coalition’s social media on Facebook or Instagram (@tillcosuicideprevention).
People can form teams to participate in the walk as well. Simply select someone to register as the team captain, create a team name, then have the remaining team members register and join under the team. Team fundraising efforts do not count towards incentives as those are awarded on an individual basis, yet having a team can make the walk more enjoyable and shows collaborative support for suicide prevention. We are hopeful community organizations, businesses, civic groups and more will form teams and show up to support. We are also working on possible incentives for teams that either bring in the most money or get the most members to register and participate in the walk.
With your efforts, walking and fundraising, you are helping make suicide prevention and mental health awareness a national priority. Whether you’ve lost someone to suicide or struggle with suicidal thinking, you are not alone. AFSP brings people who have been affected by suicide out of the darkness, and gives them opportunities to help others. TFCC, TCSPC and THS are looking forward to supporting these efforts through Remi’s senior project. We hope you will show your support as well.
To register for the walk or make a donation, go here: www.afsp.org/tillamookhigh. If you have any questions, would like to table at the resource fair, or would like to be a sponsor for the walk, please contact Walk Chair Amanda Ferrat at tcspcinfo@gmail.com.