Greater Portland Maine Area Walk

Join us on September 23, 2023

Donate

Welcome to the Out of the Darkness

Greater Portland Maine Area Walk

09/23/2023

Event Details

Date: 09/23/2023

Location: Fort Allen Park - Eastern Promenade, Portland, ME

Check-in Time: 9:00 am

Walk Start Time: 10:00 am

Contact Information

Walk Chair: George Mageles (He/Him), 408-402-2323, gmageles@hotmail.com

*** We Walk Rain or Shine***

Please check the weather on Saturday morning and wear appropriate clothing. Make sure you bring an umbrella.

If you have any questions on walk day, please reach out to alaplante@afsp.org for guidance and updates.

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.

If you're looking for support and/or resources, please visit www.afsp.org/get-help and www.afsp.org/resources.

Important Walk Day Details

Walk Location: Fort Allen Park * Eastern Prom

Walker Arrival Time: 9:00am

Opening Ceremony: 10:00am

Pets - Well behaved Leashed Dogs are encouraged to attend.
Please clean up after them.

Children of all ages are welcome.
This is a stroller friendly walk route

Continue to read for tips on how to prepare for the day of the walk.

Registration: Pre-Registration is Strongly encouraged. Those who pre-register at w ww.afsp.org/portlandme WILL NOT have to check-in on the day of the event (with the exception of those who have earned their walk shirt and need to pick it up). If are bringing friends and family to the walk, please encourage them to register ahead of time, or you may register them yourself. For walkers who have not pre-registered, QR codes for mobile registration will be available at the Walk, though again, pre-registration is strongly encouraged.

Donations: We strongly encourage everyone to ask your supporters to donate online whenever possible. If you have have collected checks or cash donations that need to be turned in, envelopes will be available at the Registration Tent. If possible, please print, complete, and bring an Offline Donation Form to submit with your donations. This will help to ensure that your donations are appropriately credited to your individual fundraising page.

Things to bring to the walk:

Your Smartphone - for Pictures and Online Payments via QR Code
A mask if preferred
A blanket or lawn chair if you would like to sit down
Cash for the Raffle
*Credit cards, Apple Pay, Cash App, and Google Pay will be accepted via Stripe

Event Day: Walkers will have the opportunity to pick up honor beads, enjoy music, take a team photo, collect community resources, and more! Individual Walkers raising $150 or more will be able to pick up their 2023 Walk to Fight Suicide T-Shirt at the Registration Table. Individuals raising $1,000 or more will be able to pick up their LifeSavers Club gift at the same time.

Ceremony: The opening ceremony will begin at 10am followed by an approximate 2 mile walk (see map below) beginning at 10:20am.

Parking: Please park on the side of the street alongside the promenade.

Social Media: Share a story / post telling your friends Why You Walk and tag us @afspmaine. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads.

Returning participant? Thank you for being a Walk Alumni! When you click the register button be sure to click the blue Login link under "Been Here Before?"

Having trouble registering? Click here to watch a step-by-step guide. See FAQs below if you have any questions.

If you’ve already registered and would like to either create a new team or join an existing one, log into your account and click on the “change team membership” option on the right hand side of your dashboard tab (on mobile you’ll need to click “dashboard” first). View this video tutorial for more help.

There's now an app to make it even easier to raise funds and receive updates!

Click below to get started!

And don't forget about all the ways you can FUNdraise!

Ways You Can Help

To Volunteer for this Event, please fill out this form.

For Flyers and other Promotional Materials, Click Here.

We want to show you our appreciation for all the hard work you do fundraising for the AFSP Maine Chapter. Be sure to check out the rewards we have available for your efforts!

For a donation of $50 - AFSP Maine will create a personalized sign (using the template above) made in memory or honor of the loved one you walk for. The sign will be displayed in a highly visible location at the walk and will be yours to keep after the walk. Click the button below for more information.

GET YOUR MEMORIAL SIGN HERE

Volunteer at the Event

Event Committee and Day-of Walk volunteers are always needed and we cannot be successful without them!

Send an email to gmageles@hotmail.com to sign-up today! Thank you!

Become a Sponsor

Sponsoring the Greater Portland Maine Area Walk shows your community and employees that your business cares about mental health and preventing suicide. Contact gmageles@hotmail.com to become a sponsor today!

Fundraise to Help #StopSuicide

$150+ - Raise $150 by 09/23/2023 and receive the official Out of the Darkness Walk t-shirt! _{* Donations can}_{be made to a team as a whole, but the T-shirt and other incentives are based only on INDIVIDUAL fundraising.}

Promote the Walk in Your Community!

Post on your social accounts and share why you walk with your community!

Team Corner

Become a Team Captain

Team Central

Create a FB Fundraiser through your account or it will not connect to your page! This is super easy in the app btw (wink wink)

FAQs

Is there a registration fee?
No, there is no registration fee to participate.

If I raise enough money, will my whole team get a shirt?
No. The event shirts are only given to individuals who raise $150. If your whole team wants a shirt, each member must raise $150.

How do I make an offline donation?
To send a donation by check, please complete this form and send it with your check to the address provided.

Is there a fundraising minimum?
No, but we strongly encourage each participant to set a $150 fundraising goal to help support AFSP's work to stop suicide and receive the official walk t-shirt!

Can I register at the Walk? Yes! You can register in-person at the Walk from the time check-in begins until the walk starts. Walk donations are accepted until December 31st.

Are dogs allowed? Yes! Friendly, leashed dogs are welcome at the walk.