Upon entering the gymnasium on Saturday, May 21, participants were greeted by volunteers who offered green beeded necklaces as a sign of support for for suicide awareness. A sign next to a table filled with green, purple, teal, yellow, orange, blue, and white beaded necklaces explained the significance of the wearing of the different strands.
“The goal for today is to create awareness for suicide in Prince William County,” Marc DeAngelo, a social worker at Forest Park, informed the crowd in the gym.
Many people in the gym wore a mixture of the colors to show their support for those touched by suicide.
Green was worn for suicide awareness. Teal was for knowing someone who was struggling or had attempted. Dark blue was worn by anyone who had attempted or was struggling with mental illness.
Others wore colors that revealed they had lost a family member or a friend.
Neither rain nor cold could keep the almost 100 supporters of the walk from marching down Spriggs Road.
Students, principals, members of the Freeze Bullying for Payton group, school board members, Senator Jeremy McPike and Congressman Gerry Connolly came together at 9 a.m. Saturday morning, May 21, in Forest Park's gym to hear speeches, support one another, and walk for awareness.
“The walk started last year with Ms. Geraghty’s AP seniors,” said current Forest Park senior Brittany McFarland to the crowd.
“It’s the second year and building wonderfully,” said Forest Park Principal’s Advisory Council Chair Ricky Guyant.
What was supposed to be a 6-mile walk up Spriggs Road to the neighboring Hylton High School to promote awareness about an issue that has gained prominence in the county turned into a 3-mile walk due to the weather.
It was organized by Forest Park students and their teacher, Shannon Geraghty, to educate and energize the Prince William County community about the larger issues of mental health and suicide.
Geraghty and her students had information packets about mental health, snacks and water on hand.
A crisis tent sat in the corner of the gym for attendees who became overwhelmed by the day or needed to talk.
The high school’s gymnasium was plastered with signs that proclaimed statistics related to the issue, such as that in the U.S. a person dies by suicide every 13.7 minutes.
Students danced around the gym to upbeat music, handing out the green beaded necklaces and “Out of the Darkness” bracelets.
“Every life matters,” said Connolly during his speech to the walkers.
“You can be with family. You can be in a room full of people, but you can be the exile,” McPike said.
McPike revealed that he was wearing a strand of orange beads in honor of his brother.
The senator then asked that everyone in the room take out their phones and put in the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline number just in case they or a loved one ever needs it.
“I’m the principal at Woodbridge High School, so I know this is a cause we need to really focus on in schools,” said Heather Abney.
Abney added that she was at the walk to find ways to bring suicide awareness to the forefront at Woodbridge.
“This is a very, very real issue,” said Gina Bellamy, the nurse at Forest Park.
Bellamy said that it’s important to support kids who might be going through a hard time.
“This is a really profound thing that you’re doing and it means a lot to us,” Geraghty said to the crowd before the walk began.
After the speeches and a group photo with Connolly, McPike, Prince William County School Board members Lillie Jessie, Willie Deutsch, and Justin Wilk, the awareness walkers formed a line, sandwiched between two signs.
The people who lead the walk held a banner that read, “Spriggs United Suicide Awareness Walk. Together We Can End Suicide.”
The people at the end of the line held another that read, “This is not the end.”
As they filed out of the gymnasium at 9:50 a.m., the suicide awareness walkers let out a cheer.
The rain had lifted and the sun began to peak through the clouds.
Warning signs of suicide:
? Talking about wanting to die or kill oneself;
? Looking for a way to die;
? Talking about feeling hopeless or having no reason to live;
? Talking about feeling trapped or being a burden;
? Increasing use of alcohol or drugs;
? Sleeping too much or too little;
? Acting nervous or agitated;
? Behaving recklessly;
? Displaying extreme mood swings;
? Loss of interest in friends or things one cares about;
? Giving things away, like prized possessions;
? Visiting or calling people to say goodbye.
? From the Suicide Awareness Voices of Education.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline:
1 (800)-273-8255
or text 741-741.
http://www.northernvatimes.com/gainesville/article/they-do-the-walk-of-life
