Twenty-two veterans commit suicide every day and during this National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month a local veterans organization is holding a walk to increase awareness.

Healing at English River Outfitters, or HERO, is having a 22-mile suicide awareness walk this Saturday the 22nd, which will begin at the Middletown National Guard Reserve Center, loop around downtown Mount Pleasant, and will end at the Mount Pleasant National Guard Reserve Center. This first-time event was conceived by HERO Board Director Gerald Kite.

Suicide has personally affected Board Vice President Dave Lewis, “Well, sadly I just lost a family member just in the last month to this very issue. It had been something that I had worked on for a long time and then to have somebody so close take their life, it just really brought home to me how subtle some of the warning signs are. And I just want to reach out to the community and to those who are considering such a thing to just take a step back and know that you’re not alone and there’s people that want to help you, whether you’re considering doing something like that or whether you’ve survived that from a family [member] or friend.”

The walk will go along Highway 34 with law enforcement and civilian escorts. Participants can take breaks or be driven back to Middletown if they choose. Written remarks from Kite will be read at each mile of the walk, and the public is welcome to attend this free event. The walk begins at 7 a.m. and will end at about 4 p.m. For more information click here.