2019 Light the Way Suicide Education Walk
Tax deductible
10th Light the Way Suicide Education & Awareness Walk
Hosted by the Bristol County Regional Coalition for Suicide Prevention and the Greater Taunton Community Services, Inc (GTCS) 501(c)3 non-profit 04-3405716
Sunday, August 25th, Registration opens at 5:30 pm. Walk begins at 7:00 pm.
The "Please Walk for ME" display will be on the McKinstry House (St. Thomas Rectory) front lawn, 115 High St., Taunton MA from 5:30 to 8:00 pm.
Walk is approximately 2 miles.
The color is purple but feel free to create your own TEAM shirt design & colors.
Registration = $10.00 per person. Additional donations are welcome.
Location: St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 111 High St. Taunton MA 02780
Resource tables will be available from 5:30 to 8:00 pm in the Church Hall.
Pizza & other goodies served after the walk. Dessert donations welcome.
Bristol County Regional Coalition for Suicide Prevention (BCRCSP) operates under the 501c3 of the Greater Taunton Community Services, Inc. dba SEMA-VAV
Its strategic plan was developed under the auspices of the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention (MCSP).
The BCRCSP has four community based coalitions:
Greater Taunton, Greater Attleboro, Greater New Bedford, and Greater Fall River.
This is why we walk
Death by suicide has managed to crawl its way up from the 11th to the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. Among youth ages 10-24, it’s now the 2nd leading cause of death. Most suicides, not all, but most suicides are preventable.
Although it's based in Taunton MA, the BCRCSP serves all 20 communities in Bristol County. Suicide impacts all of us. The mission of the BCRC-SP is to improve the quality of life for those impacted by suicide through county-wide, education, peer to peer support projects, advocacy and collaboration. The Light the Way Walk for suicide education, awareness, prevention & training & the Light the Way Motorcycle Run are intended to raise the necessary funding to achieve that goal.
Funds raised from the August 25th, 10th Annual Light the Way Walk will be dedicated to efforts across the county and across the lifespan.
See the 2014 story: More Than 150 Participate in Taunton Suicide Prevention Walk
In 2015, we had 375 people across the lifespan walk and raise $8,500.00
In 2016, we had 250 people who helped raise $7,000.
In 2017 and 2018, we had an average of 300 people and raised approximately $8,000 both years.
Please note: the amount you see as "raised" is from years past. We are starting fresh again in 2019. Our GoFundMe balance is $0.00 as of 8/5/19.
After a tragedy like suicide, whether it's a teenager, a parent, an elder or a celebrity, so many sit & wonder, "But what can I do? I want to DO something." You can. Get involved. Make a Difference. Walks do not necessarily save lives, but they raise awareness & they raise funds that can be put to good purpose & that does help improve the quality of life and that saves lives.
We have grief support programs for those who have lost a loved one to suicide in Attleboro, Fall River and Taunton - the Kitchen Table Conversation.
We have peer to peer wellness check workshops for attempt and loss survivors further along the healing path - Re-Energize & Re-Connect, and the Is This the Night: Finding Inner Peace for family and close friends emotionally impacted by the suicidal crisis of a loved one. We also have Emotional Awareness Children's books, videos, documentaries and webinars. And by the time of this walk, our 1st podcast.
The most important thing we can do to make a difference is be available to educate and train everyone we can to be willing to support those impacted, to #NormalizetheConvo, to brainstorm about how we can reach more people, to recognize signs & symptoms in any age group, and then know what to do next. That does cost money.
It is our hope is that this annual project can be a unifying collaborative between all 20 Bristol County communities. So please, get involved however you can & make a difference. Together we can save lives.
Annemarie Matulis, Director
[email redacted]
Text: [phone redacted]
Hosted by the Bristol County Regional Coalition for Suicide Prevention and the Greater Taunton Community Services, Inc (GTCS) 501(c)3 non-profit 04-3405716
Sunday, August 25th, Registration opens at 5:30 pm. Walk begins at 7:00 pm.
The "Please Walk for ME" display will be on the McKinstry House (St. Thomas Rectory) front lawn, 115 High St., Taunton MA from 5:30 to 8:00 pm.
Walk is approximately 2 miles.
The color is purple but feel free to create your own TEAM shirt design & colors.
Registration = $10.00 per person. Additional donations are welcome.
Location: St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 111 High St. Taunton MA 02780
Resource tables will be available from 5:30 to 8:00 pm in the Church Hall.
Pizza & other goodies served after the walk. Dessert donations welcome.
Bristol County Regional Coalition for Suicide Prevention (BCRCSP) operates under the 501c3 of the Greater Taunton Community Services, Inc. dba SEMA-VAV
Its strategic plan was developed under the auspices of the Massachusetts Coalition for Suicide Prevention (MCSP).
The BCRCSP has four community based coalitions:
Greater Taunton, Greater Attleboro, Greater New Bedford, and Greater Fall River.
This is why we walk
Death by suicide has managed to crawl its way up from the 11th to the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. Among youth ages 10-24, it’s now the 2nd leading cause of death. Most suicides, not all, but most suicides are preventable.
Although it's based in Taunton MA, the BCRCSP serves all 20 communities in Bristol County. Suicide impacts all of us. The mission of the BCRC-SP is to improve the quality of life for those impacted by suicide through county-wide, education, peer to peer support projects, advocacy and collaboration. The Light the Way Walk for suicide education, awareness, prevention & training & the Light the Way Motorcycle Run are intended to raise the necessary funding to achieve that goal.
Funds raised from the August 25th, 10th Annual Light the Way Walk will be dedicated to efforts across the county and across the lifespan.
See the 2014 story: More Than 150 Participate in Taunton Suicide Prevention Walk
In 2015, we had 375 people across the lifespan walk and raise $8,500.00
In 2016, we had 250 people who helped raise $7,000.
In 2017 and 2018, we had an average of 300 people and raised approximately $8,000 both years.
Please note: the amount you see as "raised" is from years past. We are starting fresh again in 2019. Our GoFundMe balance is $0.00 as of 8/5/19.
After a tragedy like suicide, whether it's a teenager, a parent, an elder or a celebrity, so many sit & wonder, "But what can I do? I want to DO something." You can. Get involved. Make a Difference. Walks do not necessarily save lives, but they raise awareness & they raise funds that can be put to good purpose & that does help improve the quality of life and that saves lives.
We have grief support programs for those who have lost a loved one to suicide in Attleboro, Fall River and Taunton - the Kitchen Table Conversation.
We have peer to peer wellness check workshops for attempt and loss survivors further along the healing path - Re-Energize & Re-Connect, and the Is This the Night: Finding Inner Peace for family and close friends emotionally impacted by the suicidal crisis of a loved one. We also have Emotional Awareness Children's books, videos, documentaries and webinars. And by the time of this walk, our 1st podcast.
The most important thing we can do to make a difference is be available to educate and train everyone we can to be willing to support those impacted, to #NormalizetheConvo, to brainstorm about how we can reach more people, to recognize signs & symptoms in any age group, and then know what to do next. That does cost money.
It is our hope is that this annual project can be a unifying collaborative between all 20 Bristol County communities. So please, get involved however you can & make a difference. Together we can save lives.
Annemarie Matulis, Director
[email redacted]
Text: [phone redacted]
Organizer
Annemarie Matulis
Organizer
Taunton, MA
GREATER TAUNTON COMMUNITY SERVICES INC
Registered nonprofit
Donations are typically 100% tax deductible in the US.
