in 2023, 20 people in Clark County committed suicide and the local group, Bringing Awareness to Students, wants the community to know there is help for people.

The group will sponsor its second Hope Walk that will address the issue on multiple fronts from 6-8 p.m. Monday, Sept. 22 at Wittenberg University. The event is free and open to everyone.

Last year, 100 people participated.

“A hope walk is vital to a community because it brings everyone together through hard times. When individuals start talking about their struggles in a safe place, healing starts to happen and people grow from each other’s experiences through trauma,” said Sydni Howard, a Greenon High School sophomore and Hope Walk coordinator.

BATS adult advisor Beth Dixon said youth understand the stigma around suicide and this is also a safe place for survivors.

One of the most satisfying parts of the first Hope Walk was participation of survivors who lost family members or people close to them finding others in similar situations.

“Survivors are looking for hope and connection and to find out how they find one another,” Dixon said.

The Hope Walk will begin at Wittenberg’s Weaver Chapel with an uplifting prayer. Participants will receive necklaces bearing colors that indicate if someone is a survivor, so they can meet others, for instance.

The quarter-mile course around the campus will offer a hug station; educational stops led by youth; art experiences; live music; self-care stations; community resources; and more.

Wittenberg’s director of mental health services Matt West said he is pleased the school’s counseling center is collaborating with BATS again.

“It will be a beneficial experience for high school and college students to learn about mental health resources and the community of care available in the Springfield area,” he said.

Several area schools including Greenon, Tecumseh and Springfield High have set up student support programs for students struggling with mental health. Earlier this year, Howard was selected as Clark County’s representative on the Ohio Suicide Prevention Foundation’s Youth Advisory Council.

“This event brings people together to learn about how to be there for each other and, most importantly, to be there for themselves,” Howard said. “Expect tears, laughter and togetherness, things you should never take for granted through this event.”

More information can be found on the BATS Facebook page.

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