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Bailey Thompson | News Editor<\/span><\/p>\n Holding signs and wearing t-shirts with messages about lost loved ones, over 1500 people gathered together at the Oregon State Capitol on Oct. 13 to participate in the Salem Out of the Darkness Walk for suicide awareness and prevention.<\/span><\/p>\n After all the participants had checked in, the event\u2019s organizers stood on the steps of the capitol and offered a message of hope and support to everyone in attendance.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cDid you know that the mission of (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) is a simple one? It\u2019s only (10) words: save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide. That\u2019s it,\u201d said Angela Perry, president of the Oregon Chapter board for AFSP. \u201cToday is the perfect day to reflect, to remember those we have lost and to honor those who have struggled and are fighting to stay.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n According to AFSP\u2019s 2018 statistics page, suicide is the second-leading cause of death for college-aged students in Oregon. Additionally, one person dies by suicide in Oregon every 11 hours. Because of statistics like these, Perry shared that AFSP is hosting nearly 400 community walks nationwide in order to raise funds for awareness of mental illness and suicide prevention. <\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re all connected \u2014 connected by something none of us ever wanted a connection to,\u201d Perry said. \u201cSuicide is hard. It\u2019s dark. But what we\u2019re doing here today is bringing it out of the darkness: it\u2019s okay to not be okay and you are not alone.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Another speaker who shared her testimony before the crowd was 11-year-old Kelly Johnston, a middle school student who has become an advocate for suicide prevention, speaking at a number of AFSP events and even sharing her wisdom with graduate students at Lewis and Clark College.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cTwo and a half years ago I lost my dad to suicide\u2026 every so often I would have dreams about how he had done it and what he may have been thinking. And often I\u2019ve wondered where I would be if it wasn\u2019t for counseling. Through counseling, I\u2019ve been able to make speeches that I feel have made me mentally stronger,\u201d said Johnston. \u201cI love knowing that I might be helping someone out there \u2014 especially someone with depression. People who struggle with depression may feel that they will be judged if they ask for help or ask questions. Part of my mission is for people to know that it is okay to ask for help.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n After Johnston\u2019s speech, the crowd was led through a traditional bead ceremony \u2014 a moment filled with emotion for many.<\/span><\/p>\n For each type of loss that a person had experienced, there was a different color of bead to wear. In turn, audience members raised red beads if they had lost a partner or spouse; gold beads if they had lost a parent; white beads if they had lost a child; orange beads if they had lost a sibling; silver beads if they had lost a military member or first responder; and purple beads if they had lost a friend or relative. Furthermore, there were also teal beads if their friend of relative struggles with or has attempted suicide, green beads if they themselves have struggled, and blue beads that showed their support for the cause.<\/span><\/p>\n To conclude, the crowd walked around the capitol building, taking time to remember their loved ones. At the end of the day, the event had raised $65,395.82.<\/span><\/p>\n For anyone currently struggling with the effects of suicide in some manner, there are resources that are available to help. Western students can call the Student Health and Counseling Center at (503) 838-8396 in order to set up a counseling appointment. Additionally, students can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline any time at 1 (800) 273-8255.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n