By Anthony Rifilato
Over 1,000 people attended the event - and with over 70 walks across the country - this was the AFSP's largest walk to date. The Long Island chapter's walk is now in its third year and is meant to raise awareness about suicide - and provide survivors with a meaningful event.
"It keeps growing by several hundred every year," said Dale Camhi, AFSP Long Island director. "It was definitely our biggest walk yet. I think it's a combination of publicity and out-reach. I think those people who came the first year or two really got something out of it."
Since 2004, Long Island has held three very successful Out of the Darkness community walks and a Casino Royale fundraiser earlier this year.
Camhi said that the organization is dedicated to raising funds for suicide prevention research and educational programs, as well as erasing the stigma surrounding suicide and its causes, while encouraging those who are suffering from mental illness to seek treatment.
According to the AFSP, experts estimate that a suicide attempt is made every minute and that a person in the United States dies by suicide every 18 minutes. Mental illnesses, such as depression and bipolar disorder, affect millions of people, said Camhi.
For many people, the walk is a way to not only remember loved ones but to be proactive and participate with others who are experiencing a similar loss.
"The feedback is so positive," Camhi said. "They thank us for having this walk and bringing attention to the issue of suicide, its causes and prevention. It also leads to schools asking us to do programs."
Families, friends and relatives of those who died by suicide form teams during the walk and the event attracted people from all over the country, Camhi said.
"I had someone come from California, someone from Texas, and Ohio," Camhi said. "That's mostly members of teams, so if a family member lives out of state, they do come. But we really draw from the surrounding area."
Rather than being a somber outing, Camhi said the walk is meant to be meaningful and proactive. Z100 was on hand and played music, and there was also face painting and informational booths for participants.
"It's not a morose, dreary kind of thing, but it's not a circus either," Camhi said. "It's a memorable and meaningful event, without being depressing. It's proactive."
Mental health agencies such as the Long Island Crisis Center, Peninsula Counseling Center, Response of Suffolk County, and the Nassau County Mental Health Association, were on hand to provide counseling and other services.
Walkers also displayed heart stickers on their clothes, and each color represented a specific type of loss. If someone lost a spouse, for instance, the sticker was red.
"That allowed people who suffered the same type of loss to seek out others and maybe speak with them," said Camhi. "Everybody's grief is different, but it's just a way of finding someone who has something in common with you who other people may not share. It's someone who is walking in your shoes."
