The Long Island Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, a leading suicide research and prevention organization in the U.S., will hold its annual Long Island Out of the Darkness Community Walk on Sunday, Oct. 27, at Jones Beach, Field 5, in Wantagh.
The community walks, held in hundreds of communities across the country, are the core of the Out of the Darkness movement, which began in 2004.
These events are intended to give people the courage to open up about their own connections to the cause and a platform to create a culture that’s smart about mental health.
Friends, family members, neighbors, and coworkers walk side-by-side, supporting each other and in memory of those we’ve lost. The Jones Beach Walk is one of the top five fundraising walks in the country for AFSP, with over 4,000 participants.
Registration and check-in begins at 8:30 a.m. The walk will start at 10 a.m.
Family activities will be set up until noon. Participants can walk the route at their own leisure, but participants are encouraged to check out the activities and resource booths before they begin their walk. The walk takes place along the boardwalk and is approximately three miles long.
The walk takes place rain or shine. The route is wheelchair and stroller accessible. Parking is plentiful at Jones Beach Field #5, and event participants will not be charged for parking. Jones Beach does not allow dogs.
There is no fee to register for the walk and no minimum fundraising requirement, but if you raise $150, you will receive an official walk t-shirt.
Sign up to participate in the walk by visiting http://afsp.org/longislandwalkwest
You can find out more information about AFSP and the Long Island chapter’s activities by visiting https://afsp.org/chapter/new-york-long-island. Or, please contact:
Carrie Aronson, Long Island Special Events Manager at caronson@afsp.org or (516) 865-3944.
