OUT OF THE DARKNESS

This year I am helping Lynette organize this year's Out of Darkness community walk here in Las Vegas. This cause is very special to me because as you all know Lynette's daughter Brittany (my niece) took her own life on April 11, 2005. We plan on having live music and guest speakers and good food. So I would encourage you to make a donation. I have included a quick link to my sponsor page or you can go to www.outofthedarkness.org for more information. Our team's name is Angel Brittany. I would encourage my Las Vegas readers (you know who you are) to register and support this great cause! Below is a personal message from Lynette about the walk.







This fall I will join thousands of other people nationwide who are walking in their communities in the Out of the Darkness Community Walk, which raises money and awareness for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

The goal of this event is to raise funds for suicide prvention, erase the stigma surrounding suicide and its causes, to encourage those suffering from mental illness to seek treatment, and to show support for the families and friends of the 30,000 Americans who die by suicide and the 20 million people that suffer from depression each year.

In 2005 I walked to honor the memory of Brittany Kish who tragically took her own life in April 2005 at the age of 16 years old. She was my daughter. This year I am not only walking in her memory, I am helping organize this year's walk. Local musicians, keynote speakers and media coverage are on my list of top priorities. I am also looking for anyone that may be able to help with donating beverages and snacks. Last year we had around 130 people join us to walk. I hope to increase thoes numbers this year.

It is astonishing to realize that experts estimate a suicide attempt is made once a minute, and a person in the United States dies by suicide every 18 minutes. Mental illness such as depression and bi-polar disorder affect millions of people we work with, spend time with and love. When accompanied with widespread stigma that surronds them, these mental illnesses isolate their victims, causing feelings of helplessness and despair that they don't feel comfortable sharing with their friends or family.

Please take a moment to consider how many people you know thay may be affected by suicide and mental illness, and think of how you will be helping those same people. Team Angel Brittany's goal is to raise $2000.00 or more.

I hope that you will help me reach my goal by making a donation, or signing up to walk with me as part of team AMGEL BRITTANY at Kellog-Zaher Sports Complex on December 2, 2006. To register as part of team ANGEL BRITTANY, go to outofthedarkness.org.

Sincerely,



Lynette Kish





As most of you know I suffer from depression and bi-polar disorder, so this cause for me personally is worth supporting. I thought about attempting suicide during my teen years and in adulthood. With therapy and medication these feelings can be treated but not cured.

So please do all you can to support this cause in your area!