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ALPENA, Mich. — Plenty of people took part in Saturday morning’s Suicide Prevention Walk.

Even with wet ground and cloudy skies, plenty of people showed up to support the walk at bay view park. The walk, now in its second year, raised money to help suicide prevention training and other programs at local non–profits.

One of the founders, Darby Hinkley, told WBKB she was inspired by similar events, as well as the COVID–related rise in suicides last year.

“They have these all over the country. They’re put on by different organizations, like the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. And I actually have been to a few of those downstate. Then, when I came up here, I realized we didn’t have one.”

Hinkley said events like these are important because they fight the stigma around discussing mental health, mental illness, and suicide.

Roughly 200 people took part in the two–mile walk— nearly 100 more than last year.