Walking Out of the Darkness

More than 250 people raised over $69,000 in the 14th Annual Greater Ithaca Out of the Darkness Walk on September 12 organized by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Greater Central New York Chapter.

Organizers at the Out of the Darkness Ithaca Walk

The scene at Lansing’s Myers Park mixed sadness, hope, and moments of joy: the walk included loss survivors adorned with colored “honor beads” remembering someone lost to suicide; moms and dads pushing strollers bearing the next generation; a Goldendoodle and other pets sniffing their way; a medieval knight; and Andy Armadillo.

Everyone was sent walking with the razzle dazzle of Dryden High School cheerleaders under a bright sky over Cayuga Lake.

The Ithaca event is among 400 walks held across the country every year designed to raise awareness, support survivors of suicide loss, and collect funds for AFSP’s research, training, and educational programming. A local spring walk takes place on the Cornell University campus.

Crystal Howser of AFSP and Darrell Harrington of Be Kind Ithaca

Thirty-four fundraising teams surpassed the Walk’s target goal of $61,000. It set the Ithaca Walk’s record for fundraising.

Team Beginnings was the top fundraising team, collecting $8,545. L3 Lisa’s Lagomorph Legion was next with $7,061, followed by Team Hope with $3,646. The top fundraiser was Amanda Gilmore, who collected $3,636 in donations.

To add a donation to AFSP, click here.

“As we embark on today’s walk, I stand here looking at our village with hope and gratitude,” said Walk Co-Chair Crystal Howser, recalling that when she and Stacy Ayres founded the Ithaca Walk in 2012 “we had no idea what we were doing.”

“Never underestimate what you can achieve and the difference you can make in the lives of others. Though our stories may differ, we join with one unified, powerful goal: to end suicide.”

“On this journey, strangers turn into friends and friends turn into family as we connect with one another and navigate through our grief. Together, we are strong, together we are making a difference, together we are saving lives.”

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention

The opening ceremony heard from Elizabeth Scanlon, a Cortland High School student who is the New York Teen for International American Women of Service. She shared that she has suffered from treatment-resistant major depressive disorder for years.

“My journey has been long and difficult, but I stand in front of you today being able to talk about it after 16 years of relentless work on myself,” she said. “It took many years of working on myself for me to feel better. And that came when I started to work on my mental health myself. I changed my mindset around life and how I saw myself.”

Scanlan said that she is committed to using her experience to help others.

“Now I hope to help make someone else’s journey a smoother road,” she said. “I made it my mission to help other people going through the same or similar struggles as I was.”

“I see a world where there’s hope, love, and acceptance with support. Where we can be open about our struggles to help others who face them. This will help us eliminate dangerous stigmas preventing people from reaching out for help that they desperately need,” Scanlon said.

New York Teen for International American Women of Service Elizabeth Scanlon

Before the walk began along the Myers Park circuit, Aidan Locke sang “Say So,” a song released earlier this year by country musicians Dan Smyers and Shay Mooney who perform as Dan + Shay. The song was inspired by the suicide death of their mentor, and its lyrics stress the importance of seeking help and supporting those who are struggling.

The chorus goes:

If your light burns out and you’re in the dark
If you can’t pick up the pieces
If the world you trusted falls apart
If your heart’s run out of reasons
I’ll be there every time you call
Pick you up every time you fall
If you’rе going through hell, you’re not alone
If you need somеbody, say so.

Ithaca Walk Co-Founders Stacy Ayres and Crystal Howser conduct the honor beads ceremony

The 2026 Out of the Darkness Itaca Walk was sponsored by:

Mirabito, Ithaca Apartment Management/Solomon Organization, Beginnings Credit Union, Maguire Foundation, The Strebel Planning Group and their Fund for Community Enrichment, 23 North Restaurant/Pizza and Bones, Suicide Prevention & Crisis Service of Tompkins County, Triad Foundation, Centralus Health/Cayuga Health, Guthrie, Texas Roadhouse, Seven7Brew, Synergy IT Services, Lansing Funeral Home Wildlife Resolutions, CSP Management, Ehrhart Energy, Visions Credit Union, Tioga State Bank Foundation, Cayuga Lake National Bank, Dave Hatfield/Hatfield Catering, Brehmstone Photography, Close Sound, Wegmans, Sumo Restaurant, Moore’s Family Farm, Lansing Business Alliance, and Cayuga Radio Group.