For the third year in a row, service sorority Omega Phi Alpha hosted the Out of the Darkness Walk for Suicide Prevention on the University’s grounds. The funds raised go to the American Foundation for National Suicide Prevention, which uses science-based research and grassroots advocacy to raise awareness about suicide and suicide prevention. The AFSP has a goal of reducing the national suicide rate by 20 percent by the year 2025.
Fifty-six people attended the walk this year, including members from the Omega Phi Alpha sorority, Alpha Phi Omega service fraternity and Pi Kappa Phi fraternity.
The walk took place at the Union oval and circled around campus. Different stops on the walk included facts about suicide, such as suicide being the 10th leading cause of death in the United States.
Suicide is important to Omega Phi Alpha as they have lost alum members to suicide. Philanthropy Chair Molly Post said the Out of the Darkness Walk for Suicide Prevention has been Omega Phi Alpha’s philanthropy event for a while now.
“For as long as I’ve known, this has been our thing and our big event,” Post said. “We’re a service sorority so one of our biggest priorities is raising money for our philanthropy, which is suicide prevention.”
She said that while the fundraising for AFSP is important, it’s more about the awareness that the sorority focuses on.
At the walk, there were signs that were taped to the light posts that had encouraging sayings on them, such as “You are never forgotten” and “No one else can play your part.” Participants in the walk could wear different colored beaded necklaces that had a different meaning, such as the blue necklaces supporting suicide prevention. There were also different colored necklaces for walkers to wear if they had a family member or friend commit suicide.
For some, coming out to the walk was a way to show support for the cause, which is what second year student Olivia Gapuz did.
“My sorority is a big part of it,” Gapuz said, adding that this was her first year doing the walk.
But for some University students, coming out to the walk was to remember what they’ve been through and what they’ve overcome.
“I personally have dealt with mental issues and mental illness,” senior Keely McGree said. “I lost someone very close to me to suicide.”
McGree hopes the walk will promote more awareness about suicide awareness and suicide prevention and “for people to get help if they need it.”
Post thought the walk went well this year, saying she’s “really proud” about how many people came out to support the cause.
Sami Reife, a junior and last year’s philanthropy chair of Omega Phi Alpha, said there was a great turnout this year.
“The more we do it, the more the community will know about it,” Reife said.
