BRATTLEBORO — According to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, suicide is the second-leading cause of death in young people in Vermont and the 10th-leading cause of death across the United States.
The rate of suicide in the state is dramatically higher than it is in the rest of the nation, yet suicide can be prevented.
Walkers and volunteers from the region are joining more than a quarter of a million people who are walking in towns across the United States to draw attention to the fight for suicide prevention.
The inaugural Brattleboro Out of the Darkness Walk, hosted by the Vermont chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, will be held Saturday, Oct. 16 at 9 a.m. at the Town Common.
This walk supports the foundation's education and support programs and its goal to reduce the annual U.S. rate of suicide 20 percent by the year 2025.
“Suicide touches one in five American families. We hope that by walking we will draw attention to this issue and keep other families from experiencing a suicide loss. Our ultimate goal is to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide,” Deb Babbie, chair of AFSP Vermont board of directors, said in a news release.
The walk will be one of more than 550 this year. Together, the effort is expected to unite more than 300,000 walkers and raise millions for suicide prevention efforts. Last year, these walks, collectively, raised over $21 million for suicide prevention.
“These walks are about turning hope into action,” said AFSP CEO Robert Gebbia.