Jonesboro, AR – (JonesboroRightNow.com) – Oct. 2, 2025 – The Arkansas Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) will hold its annual Northeast Arkansas Out of the Darkness Community Walk in October in downtown Jonesboro.
Walk co-chair Bridgette Craig said this event is intended to increase awareness about suicide and raise money for suicide prevention.
“We’re trying to provide a safe space for individuals with mental health issues or for individuals that have lost someone due to suicide and to be a resource to families,” Craig said.
According to Walk co-chair Paige Pickering, the one-mile walk takes place downtown, as it is a family-friendly space in the heart of Jonesboro.
By having volunteers, committee members and other local resources present, Pickering said it is an opportunity for AFSP to share what it’s doing and increase conversations about suicide prevention.
“It’s a hard topic to talk about, but I think the more we do talk about it the easier it is for people to learn that it can affect anybody and everybody to some degree,” Pickering said. “The day of, we have a bead ceremony so you can share if you have ever had any suicidal ideation or if you know anybody who is dead by suicide, like a friend or a family member… Just things like that, so it’s almost like different levels of you may have experienced.”
All participants are encouraged to choose the beads representing why they are attending the event. Each color shows the participant’s personal connection to the cause, which helps them identify others who understand their experiences. Beads are free.
“You may have somebody with one strand of beads, but you may have somebody that has three or four strands. It just depends on their connection and it kind of lets you know what they’re there for,” Pickering said.
What each color represents is listed below:
- White – loss of a child
- Red – loss of a spouse or partner
- Gold – loss of a parent
- Orange – loss of a sibling
- Purple – loss of a friend or relative
- Silver – loss of a first responder or military member
- Green – personal attempt or struggle
- Teal – supporting someone who struggles or has attempted
- Blue – supporting the cause
- Rainbow – honoring the LGBTQ+ community
Registration for the Walk is free, and participants can sign up on the day of. While registration is recommended, it is not required; however, those who pre-register online do not have to check in on event day.
To register on the AFSP website, click here. Paper registration forms and QR codes for day-of registration and donations will be available at the Registration Tent. The donation portal will stay open for several weeks after the Walk.
Participants who have reached the $150+ fundraising threshold on their personal fundraising page can also pick up their Walk T-shirt at the Registration Tent.
The Walk will be Oct. 11 with check-in starting at 10:30 a.m. and the Walk beginning at 1 p.m. at the Jonesboro Rotary Club Centennial Plaza, located at 355 S. Church St.
This event will also feature children’s games, resource vendors and free hamburgers, chips and drinks.
According to the AFSP website, since 2004, the Community Walks have been held in hundreds of communities nationwide. Every dollar raised through the Walks helps AFSP invest in research, education, advocacy, and support for those impacted by suicide.
For more information about this event or to become a sponsor, contact Craig at bcossey@methodistfamily.org or click here.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicide/mental health, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Hotline. For more suicide prevention resources, click here.
