Together to fight suicide

On Sunday, September 11, the community will come together in Carrington City Park to fight suicide.

The Out of the Darkness Walk is a non-competitive, family-friendly event filled with remembrance, hope, and support. Organized by the Carrington Healthy Communities Coalition, it provides an opportunity to acknowledge the ways in which suicide and mental health conditions have affected our lives and the lives of those we love and care about.

The 2021 Community Health Needs Assessment identified that the #1 health care strategy for the Carrington area was mental health. The Out of the Darkness Walk is one way local health care organizations are working together to improve mental health.

This is Carrington's first walk in association with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP), and one of nine walks to be held in the state of North Dakota this fall.

Funds raised go towards research, advocacy and programs that come back to local communities; 50 percent goes to support national initiatives, and the other half stays in North Dakota.

As of Wednesday, there were 66 participants and seven teams and $19,270 had been raised.

At 12:30 p.m., enjoy lunch served by the Carrington Fire Department: burgers, hot dogs, chips, cookies and a beverage for a freewill donation.

Registration and check-in begins at 1 p.m. Teams who have already registered should check-in with staff as they arrive, and those who haven't registered in advance can do so at that time. Watch for the staff members wearing red shirts.

The opening ceremony commences at 2 p.m., with the walk to follow.

"You can walk as few or as many laps as you like," Lisa Hilbert said, reiterating that there is no minimum requirement for walking or fund-raising to participate.

Carrington Ambulance Service will have a first aid station set up, and there will be three water stations along the route.

Walkers can choose to wear colored beads to identity how they have been affected by suicide.

The significance of each color will be explained at registration/check-in, as well as during the opening ceremony.

There will also be three activity stations: face painting, handprint messages and a patchwork quilt. Participants will color in squares on the quilt board to represent how they have been affected by suicide. Local quilters will save scraps in the various colors and make a quilt commemorating the 2022 walk to raffle off next year.

The event is sponsored by many local organizations, including the Foster County Independent. Logos on the walk's website have links to the sponsor's website, if available.

If inclement weather arises, the walk will be held inside the Carrington Public School. Watch the Carrington Healthy Communities Coalition page on Facebook for last-minute updates.

Registration is encouraged prior to the event, with no expectation that a participant will raise funds. Donations are accepted through December 31.

The coalition has plans to host again next year, and organizational efforts will begin in January. For more information or to volunteer, contact Lisa Hilbert or Amber Kruse at Foster County Public Health, (701) 652-3087.