Students gathered on Sunday to bring those “Out of the Darkness” for the Suicide Prevention Walk, beginning on the Ferguson Student Center Plaza and walking around the Quad.
The walk was from 2 to 4 p.m. and was sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Project Health and GAMMA, the UA Counseling Center and a BBQ fundraiser presented by Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity.
“In efforts with AFSP, we started the activities in the Plaza area at 2 p.m. and then began to walk two laps around the Quad,” said Lee Keyes, counseling center director and chairman of the walk.
He said one of the purposes of the counseling center is for students who are having suicidal thoughts have someone to talk to about it.
“There are signs of suicidal thoughts that can be found on the counseling website, but there are counselors to help if someone is being bullied, harassed or depressed,” he said.
The participants came from different groups and organizations including Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity who participated in the event.
“We got involved and active in the walk because suicide affects so many it is very important to promote awareness,” said Sam Solomon, Lambda Chi Alpha’s philanthropy chair. “It ended up being a warmer day, and we didn’t have as large of a turnout as we wanted, but maybe 80 to 100 people came.”
Lambda Chi was able to raise about $850 through different donations and the fundraiser to go to AFSP.
He said that it is his hope that many people that have suicidal thoughts will be encouraged to talk about it and seek help from the AFSP, Project Health or the Counseling Center.
“This is really close to my fraternity, and some of the members have been affected,” he said.
The most recent incident that has brought gloom over a college campus was at Rutgers, and resulted in an 18-year-old student taking his own life.
“I am sure this may be happening on our campus, and it is our hope that is can be prevented,” he said. “Some people may think that it is funny, but it can really affect someone’s life.”
He said he hopes people know that people are there to help and console them about anything.
“One of our committee brought up the idea to have the first annual walk here in Tuscaloosa because there are others held in other cities,” said Michelle Harcrow, assistant director of Health Education and Promotion.
“They then brought it to Project Health, which is a student lead initiative and it only made since for them to help take lead,” she said. “We are hoping to make this an annual event.”
After the suicide prevention walk on Sunday a video called, “The Truth about Suicide: Real stories of depression in college” was played after the walk for those who wanted to stay and watch the film, Keyes said.
“We hosted a fundraiser BBQ at the Lambda Chi house where food is provided by Baumhower’s and all proceeds go to support AFSP,” Locklin said.
