BUTTE, Mont. — “Hope Walks Here” on the Montana Tech campus, where hundreds of people gathered on Saturday morning for the Annual Out of the Darkness Walk, hosted by the Montana Chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
“People just walking up and saying thank you for doing this. Giving them a space to share their story, to talk about their loved one in a safe way,” said Callie Parr, chair of the Out of the Darkness campus walk.
“This is a massive turnout. It shows that there are really a lot of people that care about it, and it isn’t as isolating an issue as it can feel a lot of the time,” said Alaina Moore, president-elect of Interact of Butte, which is a youth version of the Butte Rotary Club and a partner with Butte Cares.
Interact of Butte meets one Tuesday morning per month.
“It full of great people and great resources,” said Moore. “There’s just so many people to connect with and get to really know and grow with. It’s something I’d absolutely recommend to any high schooler in the area. Just a great way to get out in your community, find those resources, and feel less alone.”
The Out of the Darkness Campus Walk takes a village to put on, led by a planning committee that Parr chairs.
“We are a small but mighty team, and we meet regularly to make sure this event is successful. A part of that is Montana Tech, too, which is also a huge support in uplifting this event and letting us host it here, which is amazing,” said Parr.
Among the attendees was Montana Tech Chancellor Dr. Johnny MacLean.
“He talked to me (Friday) when we were setting up and said he was going to come check it out,” said Parr. “Having him here was just so special. That just gives us hope for next years walk. We’re going to continue to grow and grow and we have an amazing location. We have the foundation laid for future years.”
Before the walk, attendees had an opportunity check out the 19 booths from local community partners on display, all featuring a different organization that is doing their part to stop the stigma.
“We work with a clientele who struggle with mental illness. Being a strong advocate for suicide prevention with the resources, building up the research on it, and just spreading awareness that it’s okay to talk about suicide is really the foundation of where we’re at because we work with a population that is very susceptible to having those suicidal thoughts and feelings. Being able to raise awareness and being a safe spot for them to talk about that is really a big goal of L’Asist behavioral health,” said Keely Mills, administrator for L’Asist Behavioral Health.
“Pay attention to the people around you. Let them know you care. Just say hi, how are you doing? And if they give you the canned answer that I’m doing great, ask, really, how are you doing? Somebody did that to me and it was probably the sweetest thing anybody has ever done for me,” said Eric Bag, local facilitator for the National Alliance on Mental Illness. “They actually cared.”
The local NAMI affiliate meets twice a month on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. They can be reached by phone at 406-310-9018.
Parr set a goal to raise $20,000 through this event, and food trucks and vendors at the event helped by donating 10% of their proceeds. All funds go toward efforts that include free resources, support and education.
“Another part that this funding goes to is our advocacy efforts. To make sure that when decisions around mental health are being made, that research and our lived experiences are being taken into consideration at those times,” said Parr.
One of the most powerful things about this event are the honor beads. Each color represents a different struggle. It serves as an icebreaker, allowing people to connect and share their experiences.
“It can feel very isolating. So seeing that it really isn’t, especially not as much as it can be in someone’s own head, is really, really cool,” said Moore, a junior at Butte High School.
“I lost my partner (Cody Moody) in 2017. And when we hold our red bead up and I look around at all the folks that are struggling with the same loss as I am. And then all the other bead colors. And just looking around and having that sense of connection. It just hits your feelings every time,” said Parr. “I hope that the more that I share my story, the more that other people look and say, ‘oh my gosh, I can share mine, too.’ It’s just opening the doors for others. It’s about that stigma and helping to break that stigma by sharing our stories. Not only that, keeping our loved one’s names alive. It’s really important and it helps me personally.”
The walk around campus was filled with smiling faces, with messages of support on the grass and sidewalk.
“This walk pulled me out of my darkest days. And now I have the honor of chairing it and hoping to do that for all of those people that were here today,” said Parr, noting that AFSP Montana has volunteer opportunities available year-round across the state. “I’m speechless. My heart is just full. I’m holding back tears, I’ll let those flow later. But I feel hopeful. I feel full of hope.”
This event serves as a big reminder that it’s okay not to feel okay, and that you are not alone, as there are so many resources available to help.
“Our community is here to support you. So if you’re struggling, please reach out. There are several different agencies and means of contact for that support, whether it is 988 or reaching out to local mental health centers,” said Mills. “There is support and please ask for help. We do care and we do have the time to talk with you and help you through those thoughts and feelings.”
If you are in a crisis and want help, the suicide and crisis lifeline is just a call or text away. Just dial 988 to reach a trained crisis counselor for free and confidential support, 24/7.
