September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, and as a part of raising awareness, the annual Out of the Darkness Walk will be held Sept. 27, beginning at 9 a.m. on the front lawn of Macomb’s City Hall.
Coordinated by Macomb resident Susan Denecke, the 10th annual Macomb/ McDonough County event brings together individuals who have lost friends and loved ones to suicide, and those who want to help raise awareness for suicide prevention. According to Denecke, the Macomb event started when several local families who lost loved ones to suicide decided, in 2016, to work with the Illinois Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) and hosted the first Walk at Lakeview Nature Center.
“If you haven’t attended an Out of the Darkness Walk, it is not the somber, depressing event you might expect. It is a time to get together with friends and family, remember those we have lost to suicide, and bring hope to anyone struggling with their own mental health and life issues,” Denecke shared. “It is a way to break the stigma of having a mental health condition, suicide ideation and losing a family member or friend to suicide.”
This year’s speakers include Tonya Woods and Sarah Kosel, both of whom will share their stories of loss and hope. Following the brief presentations, the Walk takes place as a short stroll around Macomb’s Downtown Square. This year, The 19th Hole in Augusta, will sell drinks and pastries at the event, and donate 10 percent of their gross sales to the initiative.
There is no cost to take part in the Out of the Darkness Walk; however, anyone raising $150 for AFSP will receive the 2025 t-shirt. This year’s sponsors include Capital Power, the Brendon and Sawyer Memorial Golf Outing, Therapeutic Solutions of Macomb, McDonough District Hospital Behavioral Health Services, Tri-States Public Radio, Community News Brief, City of Macomb and Macomb Park District.
Registration, though not required, can be done online at afsp.org/macombil or at the event. Stay tuned for future stories in The Community News Brief related to this year’s event.
