This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is contemplating suicide, please call or text the National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988.
Hopkinsville’s ninth annual Out of the Darkness Suicide Awareness Walk is Saturday, Sept. 19, at the Stadium of Champions. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and the walk starts at 10 a.m.
The walk gives families and friends affected by suicide an opportunity to remember loved ones and to provide encouragement for others who need help with mental health resources.
“It’s to remember and to spread hope,” said Valerie Sharber Singleton, one of the organizers for the Hopkinsville walk.
Singleton became involved with the local effort because her son, Spencer Sharber, died by suicide in 2017. He was 33 years old. Many of the participants in the walk have lost a relative or close friend to suicide.
Communities across the country organize walks in collaboration with the American Federation for Suicide Prevention. Hopkinsville is one among eight Kentucky cities planning a walk, according to the federation’s state chapter.
Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. with an estimated 2.2 million deaths in 2024, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Walk participants raise money to support research, advocacy and education. As of Monday evening, the Hopkinsville walk had raised $8,279 toward its $10,000 goal — and 11 teams with 76 participants had registered.
Others may register online here. Donations can be made here.
Additional information is available by contacting Singleton at 270-348-1795 or godcanandgodwill@hotmail.com, or by contacting Kim Allen at kimmieallen12@gmail.com.
