Out of the Darkness Overnight 2007

Starting in February I trained for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention's Out of the Darkness Overnight walk. This 20-mile walk was in NYC this year. This foundation is not as well known as many others - I had many people say "Really? there's a foundation for that?" Yes, there is. Out of the Darkness is a yearly event to help raise funds and awareness about depression and suicide. Topics most people don't want to talk about but we have to admit it is out there. 2000 people participated in the walk. Within those 2000 was a small team of 5 called Strong Faithful Footprints.

Part of our group (our team of 5 had a group of 10 that weekend) arrived in NYC June 8 on the red-eye from Phoenix. Unfortunately not all our hotel rooms were ready at 7am. We proceeded to Starbucks (one on every corner in NYC!) and breakfast. Then took a walk. Two members of our group had never been to the city so we had lots to see. We started on 5th Avenue (stores still weren't open yet) then went into Central Park. Central Park really is a beautiful slice of green among the cement of the city. Wandering back down 5th Avenue we stopped in a few stores such as Tiffany's just for fun. Tired and wanting showers, we headed back to the first hotel - 2 rooms were ready. After a nap, I headed to my hotel - The Salisbury Hotel - where my room was finally ready.

Anyone who has been to NYC knows a hotel room in Manhattan is bigger than a breadbox but smaller than a Motel 6 unless you have lots of $$ to spend. I recommend The Salisbury Hotel to anyone going to the city. The hotel is older and doesn't have fancy marble counters and a lounge or restaurant but it's clean and has charm. I had a 1-room suite for the 5 members of the group staying there. Though the elevators were small and room service was delivery from nearby restaurants, our room was huge and we were down the street from Carnegie Hall, 2 blocks from Central Park, and 12 blocks from Times Square.

After a nice long shower, I headed to meet the team for dinner and a Broadway show - The Lion King. I highly recommend this show to anyone heading to NYC. The costumes were incredible, the acting great, and they sets fascinating. As an old stagehand from high school, I was enthralled by the entire production and how smoothly it ran. I would still love to get back to the theatre and see how it all works.

Saturday, June 9 - walk day. Most of the team took the day slow and didn't do much with the walk that night. We met for lunch and consoled Betty who caught a stomach bug that morning! She, our captain, was determined to walk come hell or high water. We went back to our rooms for naps and to get ready. Meeting a 5pm we hit the subway and headed to Pier 16 at the South Street Seaport. There we checked in then we waited and waited and waited and waited. After an emotional opening ceremony 2000 people started the walk (it was about 8:30pm). The route started through the Financial District, went through the Village and headed to Midtown and went through Times Square. Well, that will be reassessed for next year! We hit just as the theatres let out -- OMG, I've never seen that many people at one time! Now I no longer have the desire to go to Times Square for New Year's Eve! We head to the Upper West Side past Central Park -- it's a bit creepy at night. Through Harlem where people waved from their windows then we headed west on 145th Street (yes, that's 1 4 5 street) to the Riverbank State Park - the turn around point of the walk. After a short break, we headed south on Riverview, past Columbia University, back past the Upper West Side and into the Hudson River Park. It was really starting to get long by then especially for Betty who had a tour of several NYC gutters during the walk :( Once back in the Financial District we cut back over to Pier 16 and the finish. Crossing under the balloons was another very emotional moment (it was about 5:40am). Betty and I went to get our luminaries. She lit one for Jim, her husband. I lit one for 3 friends and the ones they lost.

Now, I wear a Garmin Forerunner when walking to track pace, mileage, etc. According to my GPS, the "mid-point" was a 12.26 miles. When we finished our 20-mile walk, my GPS said 22.71. I had it on pause for about .25 miles in Times Square! Oops!! so I think it was closer to 23 even. Hmmmm....I think they need to measure the course again and count the times we have to zig zag back and forth a block or two. :)

We took a taxi home and I slept till 1pm that day. I got up and my legs were tired but I was still in NYC and wanted to do stuff. The group from my room wandered to Central Park where three of us headed into the park to take pictures. We got some cool shots of the park, the carousel, NYPD throughout the park and then headed out to 5th Avenue. We stopped at St Patrick’s and discovered we could go inside for more pictures! I then headed off to Brooklyn to visit one of my closest friends and his family.

Monday was our last day there. A few of us headed to Ground Zero and Battery Park. The day was beautiful! After Ground Zero we checked out the American Express memorial then got lunch while watching over the harbor. We leisurely headed around from the World Financial Center to Battery Park. Heading back to Midtown so Jas could get to the airport and Betty and I could meet the others at the bar (Yay! NYC bars have Yuengling!). I meet another good friend for sushi that night. I had a wonderful time as usual hanging out with him. After dinner I ended up meeting Betty and the rest at the Empire State Building. Wow! It was cool to see the view at night!

Tuesday we headed home. I was on a different flight out of LGA. Just as we were pulling from the gate and got in line for take off, everyone was grounded for weather......for 3 hours. Ugh. Missed my connection in Atlanta and ended up overnight there. I finally got home Wednesday morning with enough time to get lunch at Gecko Grill (very yummy in Gilbert), pick up my puppy and unpack. What a weekend! It was fun, emotional and wonderful! There is still so much of NYC I want to see. Guess another vacation is on the way! :)

Who wants to join us for next year's walk? There are 2 next year -- one in NYC and one in Seattle. We're thinking Seattle.....

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP)

Thanks to all of you, I raised $1435 for the AFSP. My team raised a total of $7590!

Attached below is some more information on how your donation will be used.

About the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention:

AFSP is the only national not-for-profit organization funding research and education programs needed to prevent suicide, and assisting family members after this tragedy. The foundation's activities include:

* Supporting research that is improving our understanding of suicide and its prevention. Since 2000, AFSP has invested 6.6 million dollars in new studies, including research into treatments for people who are depressed and suicidal.

* Providing education and information about depression and suicide to professionals, the media and the public through workshops, trainings, the AFSP website, videos, publications, brochures and public service announcements. AFSP's PSA, "Suicide Shouldn't be a Secret" has reached 88 million television viewers.

* Publicizing the magnitude of the problems of depression and suicide, advocating for polices and legislation that can help prevent suicide and working to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental illness and suicide.

* Offering programs for survivors of suicide loss that can be of assistance and involving survivors in suicide prevention. AFSP survivor initiatives include the National Survivors of Suicide Day Program, which was broadcast to 112 communities last year and was simulcast on the AFSP website, the Survivor e-Network and trainings for survivor support group facilitators.

For more information about AFSP or how funds from the Out of the Darkness Overnight will make a difference, download AFSP's annual report or visit www.afsp.org.