Suicide prevention and increased awareness about the problem are the goals of the Out of the Darkness Community Walk at Ala Moana Beach Park on Sept. 12.
The walk, which is free to participants, is one of 350 similar events scheduled nationwide through December by the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. Suicide is the 10th-leading cause of death in Hawaii, where someone commits suicide every two days, according to the foundation.
The 2.5-mile walk begins at 9 a.m. and the route will go around Magic Island and the beach park. Check-in is at 8 a.m.
Online registration and information on how to donate to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention can be found at afsp.donordrive.com, or email organizers at oahuootdwalk@gmail.com. Funds raised will go toward the foundation’s goal of reducing suicide by 20 percent by 2025.
Hawaii has telephone crisis counselors available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. On Oahu, call 832-3100. On the neighbor islands, call 800-753-6879.
Get fit, have fun at Kakaako park
A series of family-friendly fitness events to help people embrace a healthy lifestyle will be held at Mother Waldron Park in Kakaako beginning in September.
Fitness on the Block will bring together instructors from yoga, Zumba and strength and cardio routines from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Sept. 5 and 19 and Oct. 3 and 17.
A DJ will also be on hand.
Maile Jackson and Lesley Dadez, of the compression-clothing company HiWaist808, teamed up with fitness trainer Anthony Griffinto create Fitness on the Block. The idea behind the project was to demonstrate that fitness can be fun as well as a way to connect with other people, event organizers said. Find HiWaist808 on Facebook.
