Rarely does a new fundraiser exceed expectations during its launch, but that's what happened for the local American Foundation for Suicide Prevention on Saturday at Bobby Ferguson Park.
The organization's first Out of the Darkness Community Walk fundraiser drew almost twice the number of participants expected for its debut, said Melissa Mims, project chairwoman.
After the walk ended just before noon, Mims said she expected about 150 of the fundraiser's 182 registered participants to show up.
Instead, about 300 participants took part in the one-mile walk and raised $5,500. They had collected just $4,353 in donations by noon Friday.
"The ultimate goal was $5,000, but we raised $5,500,"she said.
Of the collected funds, 20 percent will go to the foundation and 80 percent will stay here, she said. The funds will be used to train people to recognize signs that indicate that a person may be struggling with thoughts of suicide.
Wendy Thompson, area director for the AFSP, said two days of Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training classes will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 24-25 at 593 Walnut St., Texarkana, Ark. Mims said participants must be at least 16 years old.
Mims said she survived an attempt at suicide two years ago.
"I was talking to the (emergency medical technician) on the way to the hospital about the Bible, and he started talking to me about Jeremiah 29:11, where God says that He has plans to prosper us and not to harm us," Mims said.
"I was in the hospital for two days, and I prayed to God to show me my purpose in life.
"Within two weeks, I figured out my purpose, and this keeping people from committing suicide is it."