LYNCHBURG, Va. – This Saturday, Oct. 4, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) will host its annual Out of the Darkness Walk at Peaksview Park. The community walk aims to spread awareness for suicide prevention and provide resources for those impacted by suicide.
Brandi Jones, co-director for the AFSP Lynchburg chapter, says that the walk’s main mission is to let people know that they are not alone in their struggles.
“At the end of the day, that’s all I want people to know and feel when they come is that they’re understood, they’re heard, and that we see them,” Jones shared.
Jones, who lost her younger brother to suicide in 2019, joined the committee in 2021 and has since become an advocate for suicide prevention. She says that the walk has helped her cope with the loss and find solace within the community.
“There’s comfort in knowing you’re not alone and that there are people that go through it,” Jones said. “It’s that reminder to just keep going.”
The community walk also raises funds that are used “to invest in life-saving research, education, advocacy, and support for those impacted by suicide,” according to the organization’s website.
Last year, the Lynchburg walk raised over $100,000, the most that the event has raised in its 11-year history.
The walk will also feature over 30 resource tables and organizations that will provide additional information and help to those who may need it. The event also includes food vendors, live music and other activities for participants to experience and bond over.
“You walk away with this hope and peace,” Jones noted. “When you leave, you don’t feel so alone and you know you’re loved and cared for.”
Check in for the event will begin at 9 a.m., with the opening ceremony beginning at 10 a.m. Transportation shuttles will also be available from the Walmart located on Old Forest Road.
For more information, visit Out of the Darkness Lynchburg.
If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to access the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to AFSP.org for additional resources.
