The 5th-annual Walk into the Light Saturday at Tuscora Park will be followed by a new Rock into the Light fundraiser at the New Philadelphia VFW. (File photo)

NEW PHILADELPHIA (Tusco TV) - Local suicide prevention advocates are hoping some changes to their annual awareness event will help their message reach a broader audience.

Walk Into the Light Co-chair Kristie Wilkin says their annual awareness walk is Saturday at 2 pm at Tuscora Park, followed by a new Rock into the Light fundraiser at 4 at the New Philadelphia VFW. She says they decided to expand the event and move it from Newcomerstown to a more centralized location to increase participation and visibility.  

"It’s something we wanted to do to target a little different area of people with suicide prevention because obviously most people at the walk are survivors of suicide loss, and they’re pretty educated on the statistics and things like that, but we just really wanted to target a different group this year. We’re getting more into the schools, so we just want to get more into the public." 

Wilkin says the walk will be the usual format with speakers, informational booths, and a memorial balloon launch. She says they have some great speakers lined up for this year including a local man who survived a suicide attempt, Tusky Valley’s Hope Squad, and 2018 Miss Ohio pageant winner Maddi-Lynn Chrisman.

"Her platform as Miss Ohio was suicide prevention and mental health, as she struggled for a few years, I believe in high school, so we’re gonna hear her story plus a local person who attempted suicide, Greg Miller. He’s going to share his story of recovering."

Wilkin says the second event happening at the VFW will have live music from the Moonlyterz, Gary Lee, Half Fast, Strange Brew, along with food and prize drawings. 

"We’re gonna have four different bands play starting at 4 o’clock, and we think that will go until probably about 9, so it’s not going to be a late evening. There’ll be refreshments. Sammie Sue’s Barbeque has donated all the food for that part of it. There will be raffles and 50/50, and just all kind of things like that so I think it’s going to be a really fun evening."  

Wilkin says proceeds from both events will remain in the community to support suicide prevention efforts and services for survivors. She says they just want to get the message out that there is help and there is hope for people who are struggling. 

TUSCO TV