Community News

Walk Saturday will bring awareness to suicide and prevention

PARKERSBURG - There will be a walk this Saturday at Parkersburg City Park to bring attention to those lost to suicide.

The Mid-Ohio Valley Out of the Darkness/Paws For Prevention Walk for Suicide Prevention will be 11 a.m. starting at the bandshell the park with registration starting at 10 a.m. Online registration is also available.

Organizers have 98 people signed up to participate. They usually get a lot of people who come and sign up the day of the event. In the past, the event has had up to 250 people participating.

"Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States," said Haley Townsend, chair for Out of the Darkness. "For people aged 10-14, it is the second leading cause of death."

There were 48,824 died in the United States in 2024 (based on numbers gathered in 2025), Townsend said adding there were 2.2 million suicide attempts made in 2024.

The event includes a remembrance ceremony where those who were lost to suicide are remembered.

The event allows the people still here to lean on others for support and to share stories and more, Townsend said.

The Walk is a safe place for people who struggle themselves and not to feel as guilty," she said.

Part of the ceremony includes someone who will share a story of a lost loved one, said Kelly Reeder, the chair for Paws For Prevention. Each loss is symbolized by a colored bead on a necklace that their families and loved ones wear in their memory.

White is for loss of child, red for loss of spouse/partner, gold for loss of parent, orange for loss of sibling, purple is loss of relative/friend, silver is loss for first responder or military, green represents a personal struggle or attempt, teal is supporting someone who struggles or has attempted, blue is food supporting suicide prevention and rainbow is supporting LGBTQ people who died.

"There is a stigma towards mental health," Reeder said. "People who struggle don't want to bring it up."

Townsend said there are many people who will share stories, not just on stage, but just through interacting with each other.

"It is a way to give memory to their story and their name with the people around them," she said.

Reeder added it is a way for people not to feel alone about.

Whether the loss occurred recently or years ago, everyone is welcome to come to the walk and talk to others about their experiences and feelings.

"People can talk to each other and find their healing," Townsend said.

There will be 15 resource vendors at the event with information about services available in the area so people can get help, Reeder said.

Reeder is part of “Bully Heart Healing” and will be sharing information about Therapy Dogs and the services they provide. She will be there with her American Bulldog Luna.

Luna is a Certified Therapy Dog with Therapy Dogs United and is also titled with the AKC Therapy Dogs. They visit local Recovery Centers, Nursing homes, Hospice patients, and many Community events not just in the Mid-Ohio Valley but other locations in West Virginia.

Those left behind do not like to use the phrase "commit suicide" as it gives the impression someone committed a crime, the organizers said.

The Walk includes a lap around the park following the ceremony. Some people have teams and walk for certain people while others are raising money for suicide prevention services.

There will be activities for kids, coloring sheets, rock painting and more. There will also be doing a banner they can put handprints on. They have a memory board where people can put reminders of their lost loved ones as well as a table where people can set framed pictures and other momentos.

"People who have lost someone can be around others who have lost someone," Townsend said.

Funds raised at the Walk directly support research, advocacy efforts, and educational programs in schools, workplaces, and communities across West Virginia, organizers said.

People seeking more information can email, Midohiovalleyootd@gmail.com or lunathetherapydog@hotmail.com.