By Kathy Chouteau
This Sunday, Oct. 3 will mark the first-ever “Out of the Darkness Richmond California Virtual Walk,” an online event that aims to “amplify awareness around resources and support for mental health and suicide prevention,” according to local organizer Robin Lopez.
The virtual event will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday; registration is free and open to the public and donations are accepted until Dec. 31. The Richmond contingent of the virtual event hopes to raise at least $20,000 toward the cause, with just over $7,000 raised as of this writing.
Hosted in partnership with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, Richmond’s virtual event will join several throughout the Bay Area which traditionally happen as walks every fall during which friends and loved ones walk together in memory of those they’ve lost, per the organization. This year’s incarnation of the annual event has gone virtual due to COVID-19.
As part of the event, participants are invited by the organization to take part in “Activities of Hope and Healing,” where they can submit photos of loved ones lost to suicide, photos of you and/or your team in remembrance or celebration of life activities. Photos will be used in the Hope Bead and Remembrance video, which will be played at the end of the event. To submit one or more photos, click here. Click here to watch last year’s video.
Remembrance beads—color coded in relation to how one’s life has been impacted by suicide—can also be purchased in support of the cause, as can “Out of the Darkness” T-shirts.
To register for the virtual event, to donate, purchase beads/T-shirts or for more info, click here. Questions? Email local organizer Robin Lopez at [email protected].
