Annual fundraiser shines light on suicide prevention, awareness

In today’s day and age, A.C. Blunt Middle School counselor Lisa Durham said shining a light on suicide prevention and awareness is vital for school-aged children. And for the fourth straight year, the Blunt Middle School Hope Squad did so in both a literal and figurative manner.

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The Blunt Middle School Hope Squad held its fourth annual Darkness to Light Walk-A-Thon as an avenue to raise money for suicide awareness. The Hope Squad welcomed other groups from both Rockport-Fulton Junior High and Rockport-Fulton High School to walk laps and spread awareness.

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In total, Durham said there were about 45 total students from the three schools who walked until they could walk no more - all to raise awareness for a cause bigger than themselves. Each year, Durham said, there are several students who walk or run the entire time to raise as much money for the cause as possible.

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This year, Durham said multiple students walked or ran more than 50 laps, and another ran 104 laps throughout the event, which is equivalent to nearly a full marathon.

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“For me, as an advisor, the most fulfilling part of this event is the effort the students put into collecting sponsors,” Durham said. “They are tasked with getting as many sponsors as possible who give a flat donation or pledge a certain amount per lap.”

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As for why they do what they do, Durham said that in this day and age, kids are more isolated than ever, scrolling through various social media platforms. And as a result of rarely socializing face-to-face, she said she believes anxiety, depression, and other emotions have become more prevalent, but young students don’t know how to handle them.

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The national organization HOPE Squad, based in Utah, she said, puts an emphasis on peer-to-peer relationships because they believe kids are more likely to talk to their friends about such strong emotions than adults. Events like the Walk-a-Thon, she said, help provide that interaction while also giving HOPE Squad the chance to talk about why they do what they do.

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Additionally, an Aransas Pass High School teacher acted as a DJ to help students stay motivated while other community members chipped in as well. In total, Durham said the goal for Blunt Middle School’s Hope Squad was to raise $1,500. As of press time, she said there had been more than $1,000 already collected, with more donations coming in. Part of the funds raised will go to the Texas Suicide Prevention Collaborative, while the rest will fund HOPE Squad initiatives.

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“It is wonderful to have so much support from the community through donations for suicide awareness and prevention,” Durham said. “It allows the students to explain what they are doing and why, and encourages the students to continue their work of making sure all students know that they have someone at school they can talk to.”

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Originally published at https://www.kten.com/news/state/annual-fundraiser-shines-light-on-suicide-prevention-awareness/article_11f7a84b-6d98-55a1-845b-a3a4f48342fe.html