The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is hosting the fifth annual Out of the Darkness campus walk Saturday morning.

Out of the Darkness is a community walk and fundraising event that aims to bring awareness to suicide prevention and mental illness.

The walk is also a fund raising event. The goal for this year is $6000.

Walk planner and University Wellness Director, Michele Martin talked about the importance of the walk.

“The importance is for individuals to play an active role in learning about mental health concerns, preventing suicide and spreading hope to others,” Martin said.

Participants can wear different honor colors beads to represent their experience with suicide and mental illness.

The beads include:

• WHITE – Lost a child
• RED – Lost a spouse or partner
• GOLD – Lost a parent
• ORANGE – Lost a sibling
• PURPLE – Lost a relative or friend
• SILVER – Lost first responder/military
• GREEN – Struggled personally
• BLUE – Support the cause
• TEAL – Friend or family of someone who struggled

Online registration for the walk has ended, but anyone interested can register in person before the walk begins.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. and the walk starts at 10 a.m at the RAC pavilion. The route will start at the RAC, go to the Rotunda and then to Hanner Field House and around Sweetheart Circle and return to the RAC, Martin said.

To donate to the walk visit their website or donate in person before the march.

For anyone suffering from depression, the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention has the Georgia crisis and access line that acts as a hotline or worry line where friends or family. The number is 1-800-715-4225.

By Brendan Ward, The George-Anne Daily Managing Editor, gadigital@georgiasouthern.edu