Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death in the United States, yet suicide is preventable. More than 150 people from throughout Beaufort County are expected to participate in the annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk to be held at 1:00 p.m. on October 25 at Jarvis Creek Park, Hilton Head Island. This fundraising walk supports the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s (AFSP) local and national programs and its bold goal to reduce the annual rate of suicide by 20% by 2025.

“We walk to support those who suffer from mental health conditions and raise the money for research and prevention programs that will save lives,” said Vanessa Riley, Chairperson AFSP South Carolina Chapter.

The Hilton Head Island/Bluffton/Beaufort Out of the Darkness Walk is one of more than 350 Out of the Darkness Community Walks being help nationwide this fall. The walks are expected to bring together more than 150,000 walkers and raise significant amounts for suicide prevention efforts.

“These walks are about turning hope into action,” said AFSP CEO Robert Gebbia. “Suicide is a serious problem, but it’s a problem we can solve. The research has shown us how to fight suicide, and if we keep up the fight the science is only going to get better, our culture will get smarter about mental health, and we’ll be able to save more people from dying from depression and other mental health conditions.”

In addition to the walk, on October 13, Fat Patties in Beaufort will be donating a portion of their evening revenues to the AFSP. Michael Gable, a local chapter member, says, “Fat Patties has been great to us and we hope lots of supporters will do some carb loading before the big walk and join us at this great restaurant.”

For additional information on the walk or the dinner, contact Michael at michael.theislandnews@gmail.com.