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To date more than $500,000 has
been raised for these efforts and
programs, Sanders said.
“The purpose of Whitney’s
Walk is to raise money for suicide
prevention programs and there is
a wide variety of those programs.
But it really goes much deeper
than that. Whitney’s Walk really
is a place people can go to start
or continue their healing process
if they have lost somebody to
suicide,” she said.
Participants will range from
people still deep in grief, perhaps
because their loss is fresh, “to
those who have progressed in
their grief to the point they use
the event as sort of a reunion
with family and friends, to get to-
gether and remember their loved
one. It is much, much more than
a walk to raise money.”
Sanders said suicide can take
the lives of all ages, but that it is
more prevalent among teen-agers
as well as the elderly.
“Not many people really are
aware of just how prevalent it is.
Suicide is the 10th leading cause
of death overall, but it is the third
leading cause of death among
those 15 to 24. Another thing
people don’t realize is how many
attempts there are among teens.
There are 25 attempts for every
death. This is a problem and that
is why we want to do what we
can to prevent it,” she said.
Sanders said only about 20
percent of the youth with mental
health problems that can lead to
self-destruction and ultimately to
death get the help they need.
The number of fundraisers
that focus on Whitney’s Walk
has grown through the years,
she said. Teams that enter the
walk have started doing their
own fundraisers through the year
and donating the proceeds. They
include golf outings, spaghetti
suppers, auctions and other
events that can be found on the
Look there as well for more
information, ways to make a
donation or to volunteer to help
to register for the event.