WALK FOR HOPE….AND TO SAVE LIVES
The 19th annual Walk for Hope – Depression and Suicide Awareness event will be held on Sunday, August 8, 2021 at Saginaw Valley State University (Saginaw, MI). The 5K run/walk raises funds and awareness for mental health, suicide prevention and the importance of seeking support. To save lives, the stigma of depression and mental illness must be removed, allowing people to seek help freely. More people need to be trained in suicide awareness and a change in treatment for those struggling with suicidal thoughts needs to happen.
Check in for the Walk begins at 8:30 am, Opening Ceremony will start at 10:00 am, and the Walk will follow. The event’s Title Sponsor is Jolt Credit Union and the Closing Ceremonies Sponsor is The Family of Matthew Dorr.
Over 57 million people in the United States struggle with mental health issues annually. In 2020, over 44,834 total people died by suicide; 1,282 were from Michigan. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists suicide as the 12th leading cause of death.
Walk for Hope expects to see more than 1,000 people gather in support of this cause. All profits raised will be used to host local and statewide suicide awareness programs, events, and trainings. Live entertainment, resource tables, hands-on healing activities, and light snacks will be provided. The Walk will be untimed & family friendly; non-walkers are welcome to join.
Larry and Sherry Jacobs, who lost their son Noah to suicide, share, “When we participated in our first Walk, we were very surprised by the number of people sharing the same grief we had suffered alone – for more than two years. We did not know such programs existed. What a heartwarming experience!”
Kevin Fischer, the executive director of Michigan’s NAMI (National Alliance for Mental Illness) and survivor of his own son Dominique’s suicide, will be a guest speaker.
Go to www.srrn.net to start a team (or join an existing one) in honor of someone lost to suicide or in support of this important message. This is a family-friendly event to spread hope and awareness. For more information, contact (989) 781-5260 or jamie@srrn.net.
