The local chapter of the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP) is hosting its annual walk to raise funds for suicide prevention at the De Anza Cove on Saturday, Oct. 17.

“The walk is our major fundraiser. These walks go on all over the country, and it is sort of the one fundraiser that AFSP uses that carries a lot of the money that goes to write research grants. It’s the bulk of our fundraising,” said AFSP San Diego Chapter Executive Chair Jennifer Brenes.

AFSP conducts research on the biological, genetic and psychosocial factors that contribute to suicide, hosts an annual national conference to families and friends bereaved by suicide and provides survivor support groups and local suicide prevention programs.

The walk, San Diego’s third, is called the “Out of the Darkness Walk.”

“We call them Out of the Darkness Walk’s because we are trying to break the silence and stigma that is associated with suicide,” Brenes said. “We are trying to make it OK to talk about suicide.”

About 150 people participated in last year’s march. This year, the organization is shooting for 400 attendees.

Last year’s march raised about 10,000. This year the chapter is aiming for $45,000.

Brenes says the walks are an uplifting experience.

“Families are spending time together, and a lot of people wear pictures of their loved one’s on their shirts and carry signs and banners,” Brenes said. “Its a time to actually rejoice in that person’s life. Its really contrary to what a lot of people would expect an event like this to be,” Brenes said.

The San Diego Chapter, which started in 2008, has been focused primarily on UCSD medical students. The group has been identified as a risk population by the organization, Brenes said, adding that the chapter is trying to branch out into the GLBT community.

“One of the things that AFSC has recognized in relative to the GLBT community is that they’ve really been dealing with two stigmas. They’re dealing with the stigma of being isolated and depressed in terms of their emotional well being,” Brenes said. “But they’re also dealing with that on a social level. And so there is a different way of addressing their needs.”

The San Diego Chapter wants to create GLBT support groups among its general survivor support groups, Brenes said, but added that the organization first needs to become more connected with the community.

“For us to start a support group, we need to get in touch with our community to get those folks in a room together,” Brenes said. “We’ve been lacking in that area. So we’re hoping that with our walk, we’ll have such a presence there that people will approach us and say ‘Hey, where can I get involved? How can I get involved with one of these support groups. The momentum will get that happening.”

Vincent Saulino wishes he would have had access to such a service when his partner, Martin Ferulo, committed suicide.

Saulino, 25 at the time, had been with Ferulo, then 21, who had bipolar disorder, for about a year.

“The relationship was up and down. Sometimes it was great and amazing. Other times it got unbearable,” Saulino said.

There were signs that Ferulo was planning to harm himself later in life.

“He always told me that he would be dead before he was 30,” Saulino said.

But Saulino didn’t think it would be so soon.

“So, I thought, later on in his later 20s he would attempt to do something,” Saulino said. “I figured, OK, well, if we’re strong enough, at that point, and he does try to do something, I can do something about it.”

On Oct. 18, 2003, Ferulo took his life by overdosing on heroine; according to Saulino, Ferulo had stopped using the drug once the two met.

After attending an AFSP walk in New York City, Saulino got involved with the organization. Now, Saulino is the chair of AFSP’s North Jersey Chapter.

“Everything I do in regards to AFSP is in honor of Martin,” Saulino said.

What: 2009 Out of the Darkness Walk

When: Saturday, Oct. 17

Where: De Anza Cove in North Mission Bay

Why: To raise money for suicide prevention

Contact: Jennifer Brenes at 619-957-5849 or e-mail brenes_jennifer@yahoo.com