For the second year in a row, a Greenwood student has organized a walk for suicide prevention to show other students they’re not alone.
The second-ever Light in the Darkness Suicide Prevention and Mental Health Awareness Walk is set for 7 p.m. Sept. 30 at the Greenwood Community High School football stadium. The goal of the walk is to raise awareness of mental health issues and suicide prevention, said Ava Smith, organizer and a senior at the high school.
Suicide is the 11th leading cause of death in both the U.S. and Indiana. In 2021, 48,183 Americans died by suicide and in Indiana, 1,129 people died by suicide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nearly 50% of students in 2021 said that they felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks. Eleven percent of them said they had attempted suicide at least once, or more than once, in 2021, according to the CDC.
Smith and Lilli Vaziri, her friend and fellow student, organized the first Light in the Darkness Walk last year after seeing how suicide and suicidal thoughts can affect family and friends. The walk, which is entirely student-led, is inspired by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of Darkness Community Walks.
In September 2022, Smith saw a link on the foundation’s website for an Out of Darkness Community Walk in downtown Indianapolis. She, along with her family and friends, including Vaziri, took part in the walk. She was able to get a fundraiser going on the website as well, she said.
After taking part in the Indianapolis walk, she and Vaziri got together to organize a local event. Last October, after much work, the first Light in The Darkness Walk took place at the high school.
The event was more successful than Smith was expecting, she said.
“We had such a good turnout,” Smith said.
Greenwood Mayor Mark Myers made an appearance and spoke during the walk, Smith said. He also posed for a photo with her and Vaziri.
Along with the event being previewed by the Daily Journal, local television stations also covered it. Many members of the community came out to support it as well, Smith said.
“It was absolutely amazing to see everyone come walk for this cause,” she said. “It was eye-opening and just heartfelt.”
While last year’s walk took place in October, this year’s has been moved up to September — which happens to be Suicide Prevention Month, Smith said.
“It just works out a lot better because last year, I didn’t have enough time,” she said. “But this year, I started planning a lot earlier, so I’m hoping that it turns out really good.”
This year’s walk is expected to be significantly bigger than last year’s. Attendees should expect tables filled with pamphlets and glow sticks, which signify bringing light into the darkness, Smith said.
Shirts and crewnecks are also being made, and Smith expects there to be a snow cone truck and a small bakery business selling food items. She also hopes for Greenwood Police and the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office to make appearances.
As part of the walk, Smith is also doing a fundraiser through the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Twenty percent of the proceeds from the food sales are expected to be given toward the fundraiser, she said.
New this year is a memorial wall where people can write messages or the names of their loved ones. The plan is for the wall to be displayed at a future date, Smith said.
Another change is the amount of extra help Smith has to plan the event. Last year, it was mainly Smith and Vaziri planning the walk, but now about 25 students from area schools are assisting Smith. Vaziri was unable to help plan this year’s walk, Smith said.
“We have a lot of kids that are really willing to help, which is absolutely amazing because I didn’t want to have to do all my own because that kind of defeats the whole purpose,” she said.
Like last year, this year’s walk is open to everyone. It’s not just for people in Greenwood, she said.
“The whole point is to bring everyone together, not just Greenwood,” Smith said. “Obviously, my main reason for doing it in Greenwood is because it is my hometown, but I also want people from around Indiana to be able to have that chance too because I think a lot of people would want to come out and do this.”
When the walk was first organized last year, Smith knew she wanted to make it an annual event because of the amount of people it touched, she said. Now a graduating senior, she hopes someone else at the school can keep it going for the future.
“I’m hoping that someone can keep it going throughout the years, and I can put contact information and some tips on how to do it and stuff like that,” Smith said. “But it is my goal to have it going every single year.”
To donate to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention via a shared fundraising page for Smith and Vaziri, go to supporting.afsp.org/participant/2812966.
If you or someone you know may be struggling with suicidal thoughts, call the Crisis and Suicide Lifeline at 988 or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
IF YOU GO
Light in the Darkness Walk
What: A walk to raise awareness about suicide prevention and mental health. Food, music, bracelets, shirts and more will be available.
When: 7 p.m. Sept. 30
Where: Greenwood Community High School football stadium, 615 W. Smith Valley Road
Cost: Free and open to the community
