Be The Light Walk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

BE THE LIGHT WALK POSTPONED TO SEPT. 15 

WENATCHEE — Due to unhealthy air quality, the Be The Light Walk — an effort to bring awareness about suicide and depression — has been postponed to Sept. 15. The event will start at 5 p.m.at the Wenatchee High School track.

The Be The Light Walk — an effort to bring awareness about suicide and depression, as well as to bring a message of hope — is scheduled for 5 p.m. Sept. 8 at the Wenatchee High School track.

This is the third year and the event has been extremely successful, with several local community groups who deal with issues of suicide and depression on hand to distribute leaflets and answer questions. More than 200 students and adults have attended each year.

The walk features speakers, music, T-shirts, and a ceremony where colored beads are distributed (each color represents someone who has been impacted by suicide, for example white is for someone who has lost a child).

There is no admission charge and the event is open to the community. Also, the T-shirts and beads are free.

Chelan County, in recent years, has one of the highest suicide rates in the state of Washington, according to the Washington State Department of Health. Thirty to 100 people per month in both Chelan and Douglas counties receive support for suicidal thoughts or attempts, according to the Suicide Prevention Coalition of NCW.

Both Confluence Health and Columbia Valley Community Health are major sponsors of this event. Three Wenatchee High School clubs are also sponsors: Interact Club, Random Acts of Kindness club, and Inspire Club.

Be The Light coordinators:

Dave Riggs (retired WHS journalism teacher)

509-669-2292

Jon Magnus (Interact Club adviser, WHS French teacher)

Amy McCubbin (Inspire Club adviser, Wenatchee Schools Intervention specialist)