This information comes from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:

This fall, two dozen “Out of the Darkness” community walks will take place across the country.

By walking in AFSP’s “Out of the Darkness” community walks, you will be joining forces with thousands of people nationwide to raise money to fund AFSP’s vital programs to prevent suicide and save lives, and increase national awareness about depression and suicide.

2004 COMMUNITY WALKS

09/12 - New Brunswick, NJ
09/16 - Billings, MT
09/26 - Ann Arbor, MI
09/26 - Springfield, MA
10/02 - Grand Rapids, MI
10/03 - Long Island, NY
10/03 - Philadelphia, PA
10/03 - Washington, DC
10/03 - Westchester County, NY
10/09 - Cleveland, OH
10/09 - Topeka, KS
10/10 - Atlanta, GA
10/10 - New York, NY
10/10 - San Francisco, CA
10/16 - Boston, MA
10/16 - Burlington, VT
10/16 - Memphis, TN / North Mississippi
10/16 - Palm Beach/Broward County, FL
10/17 - Cincinnati, OH
10/17 - Kansas City, MO
10/17 - Portland, OR
10/23 - Baltimore, MD
11/06 - Louisville, KY
11/20 - Chicago, IL

For further information please go to:

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.outofthedarkness.org>http://www.outofthedarkness.org</A>

or call 800/333-AFSP

Thank you!

emmy

I will be there in spirit as I won't be in this country.

Thank you for posting such a great informative thing.

As one who has called hotlines in times of darkness I know the need for funding as it has saved my life..........I think I'm worth sumthin' don't you?

Thanks again Em and my apologies for timing of breakdown and fleeing of country! lol Wish I could be in city for walk.

<font color=purple> --zh </font color=purple>

[LMo]

Thanks Emily (although I thought you were british for some reason!) -- if you don't mind, I'm going to cross-post this into my other forum (for families of depressed people).

I'll do my part from Portland, Oregon.

We are ALL going to be a-ok!

[SweetCrusader]

Nothing in Utah

-comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable-

I just PM'd you the many support groups that AFSP has in Utah. You can personally kick them in the keister and ask why they aren't walking! :-)

emmy

[dexter]

Thank you for this info! I may try to make the one in New Brunswick (very close to me) and/or Manhattan.

I'm printing the info from the website out to bring to my support group tonight.

------------------------------------
--http://www.idexter.com

[cms39]

Yes, I may attend in Ann Arbor. I'll check the link for times.

The day before is my sister's wedding, so we might be tired the next day. I hope I can go.

[dexter]

I printed out copies and the information coupons for the info table at my support group tonight and let them all know about it.

Does anyone know anything about the organization? I've never heard of it before, not that that means anything... just would like to be sure they are legit before I get fully involved.

------------------------------------
--http://www.idexter.com

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.afsp.org>http://www.afsp.org</A>

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is a very well established organization which has been doing research in the area of suicide prevention for decades. If you go to their site, click on Who We Are, then at the bottom of the text click on Leadership, you'll see a list of names that will make your jaw drop. Some familiar names are Sen. Harry Reid, Kay Redfield Jamison, Ph.D., William Styron, Aaron T. Beck, M.D., Jan Fawcett, M.D, and more.

They have worked with the National Institutes of Mental Health, the Centers for Disease Contral and the Office of the Surgeon General to develop a national suicide prevention plan.

There is no group in the country which is more politically involved, more scientifically backed, or more respected for their work in the area of suicide prevention.

Can you tell I like them? :-)

Emmy

[dexter]

I found some information on the organization, the american foundation for suicide prevention

I was a little worried because the website for the walks is not a website for the organization... it is a commercial website that creates and maintains the technical stuff for charity sponsorships... i.e. all the signup stuff and the ability to make donations online... instead of having to program that stuff for your particular group, you hire this website and they do all the programming and setup for you. Which begs the question, who is behind the advertised program?

But I did find the organization, their own website is here:
-- The world is what we make of it --
-- Dave
-- <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.idexter.com>http://www.idexter.com</A>

[dexter]

Jinx... buy me a coke!

Thanks for the extra info.

Although I found the info on my own, it makes me even more comfortable to know that someone is actually familiar with the organization. A personal reference is always much better than all the research you could do on your own.

Anyway, I'm busy emailing this to all my friends who might be interested right now... If I'm going to try to collect sponsorships I will try to make the NY event... more time for collection... but I may walk along at the New Brunswick event as well just for support.

Thanks again!

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--http://www.idexter.com
<div class="foot">(Edited by dexter on 09/04/04 11:54 AM.)</div>

You are so WONDERFUL to dig this info up and let us know about it! Whatever would we do without you, soycube?


The odds of hitting a target go up dramatically when you aim at it.

- Mal Pancoast

[dexter]

I'm still going to try to make it to the walk tomorrow, but I officially signed up for the one in Manhattan on October 10.

I set up a sponsor page on their website and put a link to it on mine at http://www.idexter.com/understanding/depression/

Not a direct tie in but a documentary I just watched on Discovery Channel "Surviving Suicide: Those Left Behind" was quite an eye opener.

More information here: http://www.2theadvocate.com/stories/...risis001.shtml

I do not know if it will be rebroadcast. If so I would urge anyone who cares to watch it.

This site also has info on their front page.....I'm linking to who they are so folks can read up and decide for themselves: http://www.sprc.org/aboutsprc/index.asp

[dexter]

I made it to the walk today, the weather was beautiful, and although I did load up on aspirin before I left, I did feel remarkably well walking, made it through just fine without my cane or anything. I ended up collecting $590, more than I expected. Thanks to everyone who sponsored me. The level or sponsorship entitles me to a $50 gift card but I am donating that back to the charity so they can use it toward their grand total. (I did take a T-Shirt though )

The achiness is setting in now but I'm home and able to take care of it, so overall the day went really well. I even stopped off for a movie before I headed for home.

[gardenergirl]

Good for you Dexter. And you just reminded me that the one in my city is coming up quickly.

Yea Dex!
gg

Oh Dex! You know you are on my angel list FOREVER for this, right? Big hugs and kisses, and dogs slobbers of all kinds upon you. You-know-who is smiling down on you and sending her love too.

(((((((((((((((DEXTER))))))))))))))))))

Emmy, your biggest fan

[vulnerome]

What a great idea. I wonder if it would be possible to do something similar in the UK.

*goes away to ponder*