On Saturday, November 2, 2019 the Hilbert College student-athletes participated in the Hamburg "Out of the Darkness Community Walk" to raise awareness for mental health and suicide prevention.

The Out of the Darkness Community Walk went hand in hand with this year's Hilbert Reads book, What Made Maddy Run, which brought to light the heartbreaking story of college student athlete Madison Holleran. The 2017 novel addresses the important issues surrounding anxiety, depression and suicide in a perfectionist, social-media driven society.

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death nationally, as nearly 45,000 Americans take their life each year. This is an issue that has touched many of our lives in some way.  These deaths have put into perspective how we view mental health as a society and show the importance of seeking help.

Those who participate in the Out of the Darkness Community Walks join the effort to raise awareness and funding that allow the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) create educational programs, invest in new research , advocate for public policy and support the survivors of suicide loss. The AFSP has been able to set a realistic goal to reduce the annual suicide rate 20% by 2025 thanks in large part to the support of the walkers and donors of this event.