Huron Area Out of the Darkness Walk for AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention) will be on Saturday, Sept 10. Registrations starts at 9 a.m., and the walk and program begin at 10 a.m. at Campbell Park. 

If anyone has any questions they can call 605-350-4745 or email annette.afsp@gmail.com.

The Out of the Darkness Community Walk is a journey of remembrance, hope, and support. It unites our communities and provides an opportunity to acknowledge the ways in which suicide and mental health conditions have affected our lives and the lives of those we love and care about.

This gathering will support the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s education and support programs and its bold goal to reduce the annual U.S. rate of suicide 20% by the year 2025.

September is Suicide Prevention Month
Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health conditions, can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background. The pain isn’t always obvious, but most suicidal people show some signs through conversations, their actions, or in social media posts.

In some cases a recent stressful event or sudden catastrophic event can leave people feeling desperate, unable to see a way out, becoming a tipping point toward suicide.

The Community Walks, held in hundreds of communities across the country, are the core of the Out of the Darkness movement, which began in 2004. These events give people the courage to open up about their own connections to the cause, and a platform to create a culture that’s smarter about mental health.

Friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers walk side-by-side, supporting each other and in memory of those we’ve lost.

The global pandemic has impacted the emotional and economic well-being of many individuals and families, and left many to manage a variety of emotions, including feelings of uncertainty.

Increases in suicide are not a foregone conclusion if we act now to mitigate risk and support the mental health of our friends, families, and neighbors. But we need your help. Every dollar raised through the Out of the Darkness Walks allows AFSP to invest in life-saving research, education, advocacy, and support for those impacted by suicide.

The American Foundation for Suicide Prevention is dedicated to saving lives and bringing hope to those affected by suicide.

Suicide facts
• Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S.
• In 2019 (latest available data), 47,511 Americans died by suicide
• In 2019, there were an estimated 1.38M suicide attempts
• The age-adjusted suicide rate in 2019 was 13.93 per 100,000 individuals.
• The rate of suicide is highest in middle-aged white men.
• In 2019, men died by suicide 3.63 times more often than women.
• On average, there are 130 suicides per day.
• White males accounted for 69.38% of suicide deaths in 2019.
• In 2019, firearms accounted for 50.39% of all suicide deaths.
• 93% of adults surveyed in the U.S. think suicide can be prevented.

Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — 988
Available 24-7

Baked Oatmeal

    1 1/2 cups milk
    2 large eggs
    1/2 cup butter, melted
    1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
    1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
    1 teaspoon cinnamon
    1/4 teaspoon salt
    1/2 cup maple syrup OR packed light brown sugar
    3 cups oatmeal (quick or slow cook)
Grease 8-by-8-inch pan. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk everything together, adding oatmeal last and stirring. Pour into baking dish and spread evenly. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until set. Cool slightly, cut into squares.

Can be refrigerated overnight and cooked in the morning. Bring to room temperature for 20 minutes or so before cooking.

Strawberry Pretzel Salad
    6-ounce strawberry Jell-O
    2 cups boiling water
    2 1/2 cups salted pretzels (measure before crushing)
    1/4 cup granulated sugar
    8 Tablespoons unsalted butter
    8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
    1/2 cup granulated sugar
    8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
    1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine strawberry Jell-O with boiling water and stir until completely dissolved. Set aside to cool to room temperature. Crush 2 1/2 cups pretzels in ziploc bag using a rolling pin.

In medium saucepan, melt butter then add 1/4 cup sugar and stir. Mix in crushed pretzels. Transfer to 13-by-9-inch glass casserole dish, pressing the pretzel mix evenly over the bottom. of the dish and bake for 10 minutes, then cool to room temperature.

Use an electric hand mixer to beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar until fluffy and white. Fold in Cool Whip until no streaks of cream cheese remain. Spread mixture over cooled pretzels, spreading to the edges of the dish to create a tight seal. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

Prepare strawberries and stir into room temperature Jell-O. Pour and spread the Jell-O mixture evenly over cooled cream cheese layer and refrigerate until Jell-O is set.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken
    6 boneless skinless chicken breasts

    1 carton cream cheese with onion and chives
    1 Tablespoon butter
    Salt to taste
    6 bacon strips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with cooking spray, then set aside.

In a skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until it begins to curl and turn red; bacon should be partially cooked but still flimsy. Place bacon on a paper towel lined plate while preparing other ingredients.

In a small bowl, stir cream cheese and add chives, if desired.Place chicken breasts in a ziploc bag and use a rolling pin or meat tenderizer to flatten chicken breasts until they’re about 1/4-inch thick.

Spread a portion of the cream cheese mix in the center of the chicken breast, keeping at least a 1/2-inch gap from the edges clear. Starting with the smallest end, roll up the chicken breast. With the seam side of the chicken facing up, wrap of bacon around it so that the ends of the bacon are tucked beneath the chicken. Place chicken in pan. Bake bacon wrapped chicken for 30 minutes.

If you’d like the bacon crispy, turn oven to broil and bake for another 3-4 minutes.

Quick Lasagna
    1/2 pound ground beef
    1 cup chopped onion
    Garlic salt or powder
    2 teaspoons oregano
    2 cans tomato soup
    1/2 cup water
    2 teaspoons vinegar
    1/2 pound lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
    1 pint cottage cheese or ricotta
    16 ounces mozarella cheese
    Parmesan cheese
Brown beef and cook onion, garlic and oregano. Add soup, water and vinegar, simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Layer noodles in baking dish, top with cottage cheese, meat sauce, mozzarella and parmesan.

Make two or three layers. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.

Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Freezes well.