Members of the Clemson University community will come together virtually with several higher education institutions throughout the state of South Carolina on Saturday, March 27 as part of the annual Out of the Darkness Walk.
Sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the Out of the Darkness Walk takes place each March and is designed to help communities in the fight to save lives and bring hope to those affected by suicide.
“This year’s event will be different than it’s ever been,” said McKenzie McNamara, associate director of Healthy Campus. “Typically, we hold it on campus. But even though it’s virtual this year, we are still striving to reach our goals of registering at least 250 participants and raising $10,000.”
Faculty, staff and students interested in participating are encouraged to register for the event to log miles walked and donate to the cause. The virtual event will feature speakers from Coastal Carolina University and Clemson’s Eleanore Fernandez, a UPIC intern with the Tigers Together suicide prevention initiative. Tigers Together aims to prevent suicide by decreasing risk factors, enhancing protective factors and facilitating gatekeeper workshops through advocacy training, and by reducing stigmas and creating an overall community of caring at Clemson University.
“The more awareness there is, the more access there is to care for those around you,” McNamara said. “If we’re all more aware of prevention and techniques, we make our communities stronger. This event helps raise awareness and the money raised goes to research and trainings across the state of South Carolina.”