The Atoka Sports Complex was filled with a sense of shared purpose and hope on the evening of Saturday, September 13th, as the community gathered for the annual Out of the Darkness Community Walk.
Event coordinator Coralyne Michaelis, who started the walk in Atoka after the loss of her son, Matthew, led the emotional and impactful event dedicated to remembering loved ones and raising awareness for suicide prevention.
“It's been a busy day trying to get everything ready for the walk. It's been an emotional day,” Michaelis said. “But it's one where I just feel that this is a need for our community, because we have lost a few people lately, and we need to make sure that we acknowl- edge their pain, their struggle and to tell them that it's okay to fight these feelings, but to reach out. Because there are people wanting to help.”
