Photo by Erin Nelson.
Hundreds gathered at Veterans Park for the 2019 Out of the Darkness Walk, which aims to fight suicide and spread awareness about mental health.
The 2022 Out of the Darkness Walk for the Birmingham-Hoover metro area is scheduled to be Nov. 6 at Veterans Park off Valleydale Road.
The walk, organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, is one of six in Alabama and more than 350 walks scheduled around the country this year to remember people who took their own lives and raise money for life-saving research, prevention efforts and support for survivors and those who lost loved ones.
Last year’s walk at Veterans Park drew 1,148 people and raised more than $101,000, said Marissa Grayson, chairwoman of the Birmingham area walk. The goal this year is $160,000.
As of Oct. 20, 464 people had registered to participate this year either as individuals or as part of 90 teams, and they already had raised about $44,000, according to the event website. People are encouraged to register as individuals or teams in advance at afsp.org/Birmingham and collect donations for the walk. There is no fee to participate, but each individual who raises at least $150 will receive an Out of the Darkness Walk T-shirt.
The walk, which is about a mile, is scheduled to begin at 2:30 p.m., but check-ins will begin at 1 p.m. People are invited to bring friendly dogs on leashes if they wish. There also will be food trucks, kids’ crafts, music, resource tables and a station where people can write out messages of hope, Grayson said.
In 2020, 793 people committed suicide in Alabama, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That’s more than two per day and 16 suicides for every 100,000 people who live in the state, which is higher than the national average. However, suicides in Alabama have declined since reaching 836 suicides in 2017.
For every suicide death, there are four hospitalizations for suicide attempts, eight emergency department visits related to suicide, 27 self-reported suicide attempts and 275 people who seriously considered suicide, according to the CDC.
People experiencing mental health-related distress or who are worried about a loved one who may need crisis support can call or text 988 to connect with a trained crisis counselor for free, 24 hours a day.
2022 Out of the Darkness Walk
WHERE: Veterans Park, 4800 Valleydale Road
WHEN: Sunday, Nov. 6, 2:30 p.m.
COST: Free to register, but donations sought
WEB: afsp.org/birmingham
