Students' suicide prevention event highlighted in ABC News feature on James's Warr;ors
Red Hook Central School District
Red Hook High School students’ efforts to raise awareness for suicide prevention were highlighted on ABC Eyewitness News as part of a feature on Donna Thomas’ nonprofit organization James’s Warr;ors.
Seniors Danielle Darling and Eve Hayes organized the 1.2-mile Run/Walk for Suicide Prevention fundraiser, held Sept. 29 at Linden Avenue Middle School, which raised roughly $2,600. A past school assembly on James’s Warr;ors was among the inspirations to hold the event, and Thomas served as a guest speaker at the students’ request.
Thomas founded James’s Warr;ors in memory of her son, who died by suicide. The nonprofit aims to change the way mental health is viewed and reduce the stigma surrounding suicide through educational presentations, public events and support groups.
Footage of the run/walk and comments from both Darling and Hayes appear in the video, which is presented under Eyewitness News’ “Localish” banner.
“I know it’s a real big issue, feeling, just, alone, like you’re the only one feeling this way,” Hayes says in the video. “There always is someone to talk to.”
Hayes called seeing their fundraiser on ABC’s site “surreal.” While the students knew ABC had sent cameras to the event, they weren’t sure the footage would make the final cut.
“It felt huge,” Darling said. “We put so much time and effort into the event. It really meant a lot to us. To see that it made it so other people could see, it felt great.”
The students organized the fundraiser as the Creativity, Activity and Service project required for earning their International Baccalaureate diplomas.
Around 100 took part in the run/walk and the amount raised far surpassed the students’ original goal of $1,000. While the fundraiser is over, they encouraged everyone to continue donating directly to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
Thomas in the package discusses what it means to her to have students who have heard her message perpetuate it with their own actions. The day after the run/walk, she posted on Facebook that she “was humbled to be attending,” noting seeing students “follow up” is a new metric she’ll use to measure her own success.
“If we have, in any way encouraged our youth to help support awareness in their communities, we are golden!!” she wrote.