Suicide prevention walk returns to Fulton Sept. 15

August 30, 2013 at 6:00 a.m. | Updated August 30, 2013 at 6:00 a.m.

Nikki Ryan releases a dove at last year's Out of the Darkness walk. This year's event will be held Sept. 15, and is sponsored by the Fulton Sun, the Missouri Suicide Prevention Project and Blue Photos.
Nikki Ryan releases a dove at last year's Out of the Darkness walk. This year's event will be held Sept. 15, and is sponsored by the Fulton Sun, the Missouri Suicide Prevention Project and Blue Photos.

After a successful inaugural event last year, Fulton Out of the Darkness walk coordinator Melody Seiger is looking forward to a bigger and better things in 2013.

The annual suicide prevention walk raised about $17,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP). This year, the event will begin 1 p.m. Sept. 15 at the Fulton State Hospital lawn, walking along the Stinson Creek Trail.

Seiger said raising that much money was a success, which will aid both national and local suicide awareness.

"We're doing this for awareness, so people know it's a problem, and also to prevent others and let them know there's other options," Seiger said. "We want to erase the stigma attached to mental illness and encourage people to get help if they're suffering."

To help the tornado-stricken people of Dumas and surroundings, donations can be made to the Delta Area Disaster Relief Fund, care of the Delta Area Community Foundation, P.O. Box 894, Dumas, AR, 71639, or through the Arkansas Community Foundation, 700 S. Rock St., Little Rock, AR, 72202.