High School to Host Walk to End Suicide

On Saturday, May 28, Manchester High School (MHS) will host its second annual Campus Walk for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) at Carr Park, 601 W. Main Street. Check-in time starts at 2pm, and the walk will begin at 3pm. The walk is to raise money for suicide prevention programs, both nationally and in Washtenaw County. Walkers can pre-register for the Manchester HS Campus Walk, or donate funds, by clicking HERE.

Megan Linski is the walk chairwoman, and a 2011 graduate of MHS. She has been an advocate for AFSP for three years, after MHS classmate and friend Krisen Lison took her own life in 2013. “We’re doing this for the kids,” Linski said. “A big part of this walk is reaching out to the students, so they know they’re not alone.”

The walk is approximately a three-mile hike throughout the village, and will take place rain or shine. Families can bring strollers so small children can participate, and pet owners are allowed to bring dogs as long as they are on a leash. “We hope to include as many people as we can,” Linski said. “Whether you raise five dollars as a walker, fifty dollars or five hundred, we want you there.”

Walkers don’t have to be a student or live in Manchester to participate. “Last year we had walkers who traveled from out-of-state to be here,” Linski said. “It’s open to anyone who wants to make a difference.”

Suicide is the tenth leading cause of death overall in Michigan. Over twice as many people die in Michigan as a result of suicide than by homicide. Suicide also impacts students. According to AFSP and The Jason Foundation, suicide is the second leading cause of death for high school and college students in Michigan and nationwide, with an average of 5,400 attempts by students in grades 7-12 to take their lives daily. In the U.S., more teenagers and young adults die from suicide than from cancer, heart disease, AIDS, birth defects, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, and chronic lung disease combined.

“More of our kids are suffering than we realize, but they’re afraid to reach out for help because of the stigma that still exists,” Linski said. “You wouldn’t resist getting treatment for cancer, but many people don’t get treatment for depression, anxiety, or other mental illnesses because they’re afraid of being judged for doing so.”

Last year’s campus walk raised $3,000 for suicide prevention, and had more than 50 attendees. Linski hopes this year’s walk will be even bigger than the first. “Mental illness isn’t something to be ashamed of. It affects everybody at some point in their lives,” Linski said. “It’s not something we as Americans can hide from anymore. We need to go out and fight it.”

For more information of donating, registering, or volunteering visit the Manchester High School AFSP Campus Walk facebook page HERE.

For as little as $1 a month, you can keep Manchester-focused news coverage alive.

by Danielle Muntz

Danielle lives in Manchester Township and has many interests which she takes part in with varying degrees of success. She can be reached at Danielle.Does.Stuff@gmail.com.