Volunteers add heart to Walk for HOPE

SANDPOINT — Long before walkers begin their trek across the Long Bridge today, volunteers were busy behind the scenes preparing signs, signing up walkers and taking care of last-minute details for Sunday's Walk for HOPE.

"It's really important," Teagan Newsom said. "Especially because it's at the beginning of September."

The walk, right before the start of school, is a cool thing to have right before school starts, agreed fellow student council members Paul Kent and Izzy Stark.

The trio were among the many volunteers, many of whom are Sandpoint High School students who turned out in the weeks leading up the walk to prep the signs, create new ones and tie strings to the colorful signs filled with empowering messages. Early Sunday afternoon, the teens are back at work, taking the signs to Dog Beach and placing them along the length of the Long Bridge, interspersing them with light blue balloons — Madison Wyman's favorite color.

The color was adopted by Hold On Pain Ends, a nonprofit formed by the Wyman family in 2015 after they lost their daughter, Madison, to suicide at the age of 14. A freshman at Sandpoint High School, the teen was on the JV soccer team, active in her church youth group and a member of the local 4-H program.

"Obviously, it's very healing for us, you know, as a family, because that's part of why we're doing it is because of our own loss," Jennifer Wyman said of the walk's importance, both for the family and the community. "And so to us, it just shows that what we're doing is good. It's bringing smiles to people's faces, happiness in people's hearts. And so it's not just about the grief and the loss, it's all about, like, the connection and the, you know, keeping the positivity and remembering the light at the end of the day."

Since the first walk — 2024 marks the ninth year the Walk for HOPE has been held — hundreds of area residents have turned out the first Sunday in September to raise both awareness the some are struggling and that there is always hope, no matter how bad things may seem

"It's always neat to see the community come together," Wyman said.

Talking about suicide, raising awareness and having honest conversations about mental health is important. That connection as a community — the foundation of the walk — has a ripple effect, spreading kindness and compassion.

Funds from the walk help fund leadership programs and suicide awareness speakers. The students are integral to that effort, brainstorming ideas, hosting events and working to make a difference. Helping, Wyman said, to be a part of the solution.

An assistant cheer coach at SHS, Wyman said she wants to ensure Lake Pend Oreille School District students have the resources and tools they need, that there are people in the community who care and are here for them.

It's about bringing everyone together, about the power of community, Wyman said.

"They all have their little groups but it's also about coming together to become one," she added.

The message they try to pass on to students is that each day is a fresh start, each day is a chance to craft their life into what they want it to be. It doesn't matter what happened the day before or what anyone thinks — each day is a brand new day, each day offers hope.

"A lot of what we're trying to teach the kids is what is their legacy," Wyman said. "How do they want to be remembered? That's one of the things I really want everybody to understand. Luckily, from what we've heard, Madison did that, she left a positive impact on people in her short time."

They get to decide each day who they want to be, the legacy they want to leave on the world. That message gives students a chance to ask questions and grow into the best version of themselves, knowing that each day offers a fresh chance to be that person.

"How do you want to be remembered?" Wyman said the students are asked. "How do you want to transition into adulthood, or be with your family? Who are you as a person? Are you proud of who you are?"

That, she said, is where the community comes in with support, kindness and understanding.

The walk is more than just T-shirts and a trek across the Long Bridge. It is about coming together, forging connections, meeting others in the community. A free barbuecue follows the walk to encourage participants to stick around and talk with others.

"You're not just entering a race and leaving, right?" Wyman said. "You're there to meet new people, to mingle and start new relationships and gain new friendships. That's what I really like about it. It's nice to sit back (at the barbecue) and look around. This is what it is about. It's nice to see everybody gathered and interacting in positve ways."

While the walk begins at 5 p.m. today, Sept. 1, at Dog Beach, there's still time to talk part. All people need to do is come a little early and sign up.

The cost is $25 for adults and $20 for youth. T-shirts will be given to all registered walkers with scholarships available upon request. 

At the end of the walk there will be music and food for a time for participants to connect.

Participants can share pictures and message of support on social media using the hashtag "walkforhope2024."

Information: walkforhopesandpoint.org

    Brennan Wyman and Lee Thompson get signs ready to hang up during Sunday's Walk For HOPE. The annual walk is being held today to spread a message of hope and awareness during Suicide Awareness Month.