A memorial walk will return to Ararat in September in memory of people who\u2019ve died from suicide.<\/p>\n
Ararat Suicide Prevention Awareness Group plans to hold its second memorial walk in the Alexandra Gardens, bringing together family and friends of people who\u2019ve suicided.<\/p>\n
The group has been assisted with planning for this year\u2019s walk with a $500 CommBank Community donation.<\/p>\n
The memorial walk will be held on World Suicide Prevention Day – Saturday the 10th<\/sup> of September.<\/p>\n The first walk was held in 2020 at the start of the pandemic but was postponed last year due to lockdowns.<\/p>\n Ararat Suicide Prevention Awareness Group President Linda Nyikos said members of her group were pleased the walk will return this year.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re pretty excited about being able to hold the walk again,\u201d Ms Nyikos said.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll do a lap of the lake and have a couple of guest speakers and there will be an honour board where people can write messages in support of loved ones they\u2019ve lost to suicide,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n Ms Nyikos said the donation from the Commonwealth Bank will help the group plan a successful gathering.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s just awesome to see the support. To choose us is just humbling and we are very grateful.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn recent times, we\u2019ve also received a donation from the Ararat Senior Citizens and the Home of Bakeology who provide us with some bakery items for our fortnightly drop in nights. Woolworths also help with some fruit and milk for our drop in nights,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n The memorial walk will be held on Saturday the 10th<\/sup> of September in the Alexandra Gardens. The starting time of the walk will be decided soon and published in coming editions of the Ararat Advocate.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a Saturday and I would hope we will get a good response, perhaps a hundred walkers,\u201d Ms Nyikos said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n