Did you know that a person commits suicide every 16 minutes, resulting in more than 31,000 deaths each year? That accounts for roughly one million deaths a year. Many people are unaware that suicide is the fourth-leading cause of death in the United Sates among adults and the third-leading cause of death among teenagers. The annual Out of Darkness Community Walks work to help lower the percentage of suicide-related deaths in the United States. Anyone can participate in these walks at a small price. Participants in the walk pay $10 dollars, which will be used for suicide prevention research and education. Walkers wear a bright yellow shirt that says “Out of the Darkness Walks” and lists various corporate sponsors on the back. The walks are sponsored by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, the leading non-profit organization exclusively dedicated to preventing suicide through research and education. The organization also works to increase national awareness about depression and suicide, and reaches out to loved ones who are coping with a family suicide victim. Through the AFSP, Louisville annually sponsors the Brian Allen Memorial Walk in memory of the1986 Trinity graduate. The event, held in the fall, started at 10 a.m. as hundreds of individuals gathered at the Waterfront downtown on a cold, windy day. After some statements and a prayer, the participants began their route with a simple “Ready, set, go!” The route included an hour walk from the Waterfront through various parts of the downtown area, including the city park, and back to the beginning at the Waterfront, where people were greeted with doughnuts and coffee. Brook Hardin, the foundation’s walk coordinator, said, “I’ve been the walk coordinator here since 2002, and it warms my heart every year to see people who care to make a difference for others by participating in this event, even on a day like this.”