Luverne will host the second annual “Out of the Darkness” suicide prevention walk on Saturday, Sept. 10, at the Luverne City Park.
It will be the second walk in the community following last year’s event on the LHS track and field where 300 walkers participated and raised $15,000.
“We connected people with much-needed programs this year and we couldn’t have done it without this generosity,” said Angela Nolz, event chair of Saturday’s walk.
“We had such an amazing outpouring of support for our walk last year. The Luverne community has been known to lend a hand in hardship and prides itself in the health and sustainability of the community.”
Nolz is an integrated health therapist at Sanford Luverne and is also on the Luv1LuvAll Brain Health Committee, which has been working to destigmatize mental illness.
“Our goal is to ensure the mental health of this community is considered,” she said.
“And we want to provide support to those who suffer with mental health concerns or suicidal thoughts to know they are not alone and help is available.”
She said the Out of the Darkness event also reaches out to those who lost loved ones to suicide.
“We want them to know that we support them in their grief,” Nolz said.
Don’t struggle alone
At the 2021 ‘Out of the Darkness Walk’ Luverne’s Zachary Wermager spoke about his 15-year-old brother’s suicide in 2011 and about his own experience with mental health.
“That was pretty tough,” he said. “I was on the fence about doing it, because I wasn’t sure how it would be viewed by people who know me. It was tough.”
Ultimately, Wermager decided helping others was too important.
“With how much I struggled to reach out … I kept it to myself for years, especially as a guy. … You know, ‘Man up.’ If someone else was struggling, I figured it might help someone to hear my story,” he said.
“I thought it might help them push through their own insecurities and shame.”
As difficult as it was, Wermager said the experience of publicly telling his story was good for him and many who heard him.
“The point is, anyone who is struggling alone, reach out and talk to anybody. It doesn’t have to be a therapist,” he said. “Just start talking about it so you can move forward.”
Part of a national effort
Luverne’s walk joins others occurring nationwide through the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, which now counts suicide as the 12th leading cause of death in the United States.
“It is the hope that future heartache can be prevented by increasing community education about suicide prevention, focusing on community mental wellness, and ensuring that all community members are aware of services that are accessible if someone is struggling with their mental health,” Nolz said.
Money raised during the annual walks funds research to better understand and establish best practices for suicide prevention.
Representatives from AFSP and several local mental health professionals will have booths set up at the walk that morning to share information about how to support someone who might be struggling.
“The goal is to be open about the struggles we can all face, bringing us out of the darkness,” Nolz said.
Over 80 percent of funds raised goes directly toward community education and research, making it a top-rated non-profit organization.
Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and the walk will be from 9 to 11 a.m.
A light breakfast will be provided Saturday at the park (pre-registration requested at afsp.org/luverne). Nolz can be reached for questions at angelanolz23@gmail.com.