SOS Out of the Darkness Walk

Our 2008 Out of Darkness Community Walk,
Virginia's First

Was a great success:
Measured by the hearts comforted and the minds expanded!
Our Hampton Roads community responded very favorably to our Third Walk with over 800 coming together to bring depression and suicide out of the darkness into the light . . .
With over 150 Out of the Darkness Community Walks across the Nation, we were the 3rd largest.
On behalf of the Hampton Roads S.O.S. and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, we thank you for this past support as we invite you now to be a part of our fourth annual Walk!

Join us for our 4th
Out of the Darkness Community Walk

September 12, 2009
At Mt. Trashmore, Virginia Beach

Walk with thousands across the country in recognizing
THE NATIONAL SUICIDE PREVENTION WEEK!

Come in the name of raising awareness of depression and suicide and/or...
Come in the name of remembering a loved one lost to suicide

Together we can save lives!

For more information about the Walk, you may call Chris Gilchrist, LCSW, founder and facilitator of the S.O.S. Support Group for over 20 years and a member of the American Association of Suicidology. (757) 483-5111.

Why should you be involved with the Walk?

The Hampton Roads Survivors of Suicide Support Group is for bereaving individuals who have lost a loved one to suicide. It has met monthly for 20 years to provide a safe place where you learn that you are not alone and that there is help for you in your grief. (click S.O.S. Meetings). Because members of S.O.S. hope that others can be spared the pain and tragedy that they’ve suffered, we made a decision in 2005 to be the local sponsors of Virginia’s first Out of the Darkness Community Walk. We want to prevent suicides.
With this commitment, we formed a national partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), our country’s only non-profit organization exclusively devoted to prevent suicide by using donations to fund research, education and treatment programs. With our joint sponsorship, we centered on three important goals: to increase awareness of depression and suicide while countering isolation and stigma; to raise money for AFSP in preventing suicide and to further healing by remembering and honoring loved ones.

Your involvement is important in accomplishing these goals. Of course you can participate by walking one of the three different trails at Mt. Trashmore. And / or, you are also encouraged to participate in the other many activities that we have planned: Our Program of Remembrance, Celebration, and Hope; complimentary refreshments; the availability of Mental Health Professionals and Information; Children’s Activity Table; Memory Wall; Crane-Making Table; Frisbee Art; and After-Walk Picnic with a live band and the drawing of the Crane Peace Quilt as a gift.
Although we believe in the positive impact of AFSP in its efforts to prevent suicide, we want you to feel equally free to raise or not to raise money. If you choose to collect donations, you can do this by having people sponsor your walking or by adding your own personal donation or that of friends, working associates, businesses, or corporations. Any money raised is put to good use as 84 cents to the dollar goes to suicide prevention through research, education & treatment programs. Donations for the 2008 Walk can be collected until December 31, 2008. (click About Donations). Donations for the 2009 Walk begin January 1st. Whether you are involved in walking; event activities; or raising donations, you can do this either individually or as a “group” which might consist of a family, work associates, or individuals with shared interests and concerns, etc. At the 2008 Walk there were a number of youth groups from schools or churches who came - in fact one church brought their members in a bus. You can give your group a name.

Please know, you are very welcome regardless of how you may participate.

With this spirit, we can make a difference in preventing suicide which is a major national health problem that takes lives and with it an enormous toll on family, friends, co-workers and the entire community.

Important Facts we remember about depression and suicide:

Each year in the United States, more than 32,000 people die by suicide; it is the 11th leading cause of death
There are almost twice as many suicides as homicides
Every 17 minutes, a person takes their own life
Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death of 15-24 year olds
In Virginia one out of every four individuals eighteen years or older who dies by suicide is a veteran
Survivors of suicide are five times more at risk for suicide themselves
Approximately 18.8 million people suffer from depression. There are over 750,000 suicide attempts each year.
Over ninety percent of all people who die by suicide have a diagnosable psychiatric disorder at the time of their death; thirty-three percent of suicides have a substance abuse component
The number one cause of suicide is untreated depression. Depression is a disease, a disease that is treatable. Therefore, suicide can be prevented. We can save lives!
If you or someone you love is in crisis you can always call:

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
at 1-800-273-TALK

OUR WALK IS A WAY TO SOLVE THIS MAJOR HEALTH PROBLEM

Everyone who is coming to the Walk needs to register whether you are walking, sponsoring a walker, or just planning to participate in being a part of the program activities. We want a count to be sure we have enough complimentary food and music for you. We also suggest you register because in doing so you are covered under the AFSP's insurance for Walk participants. However, registration for 2009 will not open until March. Please continue to follow our website as we will keep updating it with new information.

If you are walking to raise money for AFSP, you are contributing to a very worthwhile cause. As a gesture or appreciation, if you raise $150 or more, you will be given a free AFSP Out of the Darkness Community Walk T-Shirt. But, also know, you are welcome just to walk or to share in this time - - as we take steps to bring depression & suicide out of the darkness.

Please continue to our Events Page (click here) to read about the schedule of our Walk.