PHILIPPI — For a third consecutive year, the West Virginia Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is spearheading the Philippi Out of the Darkness Walk set to take place on Sunday, Oct. 12.

The walk will take place at the Barbour County Courthouse, and is scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m. A host of organizations will be on hand to provide resources for those attending. The event will also feature a silent auction and a host of vendors onsite for the event.

“These walks are really necessary because we are trying to reach those in rural populations and let them know there are help and resources out there,” AFSP West Virginia Chapter Director Amanda Pritt told The Inter-Mountain.

“We want people to know that they are not alone in any struggle they are going through. There are people in their community who feel the same way and these events are really healing for a lot of people. Not only are they a way for people to remember those they have lost, but the walks help end the stigma of suicide.”

Pritt said the walk is meant to be a fun event allowing everyone can get together and bring the conversation of suicide to light.

“Having a walk like this, where we can all get together, enjoy some food, and take part in all the other things we have going on, is important to those who have been affected by suicide,” Pritt said. “Bringing the conversation of suicide out of the darkness and into the light helps to make talking about mental health and suicide prevention easier. These walks help do that, they help make a connection with people that have experienced a loss.”

Pritt added that the walk helps many of those out there who are having trouble with dealing with a loss to suicide.

“A suicide loss can be a lonely loss. People don’t understand suicide and many people don’t know how to address it,” Pritt said. “People sometimes stop talking about the person they lost because they don’t know how to. They stop telling stories about the person and sharing memories. So these events bring people together to realize they are not alone in their loss and struggle.”

Pritt pointed out that the Philippi Out of the Darkness Walk was one of many walks across the state that the WVAFSP use as a fundraising event.

“We have walks around West Virginia and this is one of our largest fundraisers,” Pritt said. “We fund our own mission in West Virginia to bring suicide prevention education to all ages, and we fund research to learn more about suicide.”

Suicide is the No. 2 cause of death in West Virginia for those aged 10 years old to 34 years old. West Virginia continually ranks in the Top 15 in the country for suicide deaths nationwide.

“Every death that we have had by suicide is a wake-up call for us to come together and pay attention to this issue,” Pritt said. “We want to make change and these events are just that, with people coming together to say that we care and we want to help others.”

Pritt said that WVAFSP is still looking for those who want to participate in the walk. Those interested can either register as a team or an individual. Those registered have already raised 

$2,598 toward the organization’s goal of $10,000. There will be a fundraiser for the walk at Fox Hops Brewery today from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

For information or to register for the walk, visit https://afspwalks.donordrive.com/Philippi.