Out of the Darkness

Each year, The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention organizes Out of the Darkness Walks. These walks are a way to raise both money and awareness for suicide prevention.  Many communities participate in these walks on a smaller scale, but each year 1-2 walks take place overnight for 16-18 miles in a large city.  The first time that I had heard of these walks was in 2011.  It just so happened that it was taking place in New York City that June and it also just so happened to be taking place a month after Dale's death.  The idea intrigued me, but I wasn't ready.

This upcoming May will mark 5 years without Dale.  In June, the Out of the Darkness Walk will be back in New York City for the first time in 5 years.  I am thankful for every one of those five years to help me in my own healing and recovery because now I can say that I will be ready.  I am ready... to not only walk, but to share my story.

It is my hope to help raise money for both research and awareness for not only suicide prevention but for mental health as well.  If just one life can be reached and saved, then it is an effort worth making.  It is also my hope to help create a gradual and safe approach to telling my now, 6 year old son, how his father died, when the time comes.  I believe being active and perhaps making a tradition out of events such as this where my son can one day walk with me, may be one step in helping to lessen the pain and confusion.

In order to walk, I need to raise $1000 before June 2016.  I am hoping to raise the majority of that money through donating proceeds made from my Lemongrass Spa business.  I am also open and appreciative of anyone who would like to make a direct donation as well.  Below is a link to my donation page on the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention page.  Thank you to everyone for reading and if you choose to do so, for donating.  Hope is something that we all need and I have named my campaign... Hope for All.

http://theovernight.donordrive.com/participant/hope4all

Hope for All

I did it...  I created a donation page with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention in memory of Dale.  It wasn't an easy thing to do and the write-up felt almost like writing his obituary once again.  But I am happy with the words that I chose and I am even more happy that I have finally done something in his memory in hopes of serving a greater purpose.

I am attaching a link to the page on this blog to track my progress in reaching my goal of $500.  I am not sure how this Lemongrass Spa business is going to go for me, so to begin, I am will be donating 10% of what I earn.  Ideally, I'd like to donate more and hopefully I will be able to do so.

Even though this donation page was made mainly for me to track my donations through my sales, it is open to anyone and everyone who would like to donate any amount of money to this foundation.  I will still keep my goal of $500 regardless if it is surpassed by the generous donation of others.

I'd like to extend a warm "thank you" to anyone who has been touched in some way and has decided to donate.  Thank you truly.

"Hope for all," because hope is something we can never lose.  Here is a link to my page...
http://afsp.donordrive.com/campaign/hopeforall