Out of the Darkness

On July 22, 2006, I am participating in a unique event that is very important to me. It’s called Out of the Darkness Overnight and it is a 20-mile walk through the night from dusk until dawn to raise funds for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Their goal is to erase the stigma surrounding suicide and its causes, to encourage those suffering from mental illness to seek treatment and to show support for the families and friends of the over 30,000 Americans who die by suicide each and every year.

As you may already know I am currently the Youth and Media Pastor at Thornton Avenue Baptist Church. I have served at this church for over 5 years. What you may not know is that on January 25, 2006 one of our youth committed suicide. His name was Curtis and he was only 15 years old. He was a wonderful musician whose songs read like poetry. He was a caring and fun young man. He was a friend, brother, twin, son, nephew, and grandson. His smile, laughter, and wonderful personality will be deeply missed. By participating in this event, I hope to raise awareness of the serious threat that depression can pose and the treatment options that can help people overcome it. If only one person can be saved by my efforts to raise money and walk 20 miles, then it’s all been worth it.

Please think about how much you can give to this cause, and click this link to donate at my support page. My goal is to raise at least $1,000 for this cause. All donations are fully tax-deductible.

I will be blogging here to keep you informed on my progress and training.

Please keep Curtis' family, friends, and all of us in your prayers.

Don