Two Alvirne High School juniors organized a HOPE Walk that took place over the weekend and helped to raise nearly $14,000 for the American Foundation of Suicide Prevention.
The walk itself was a rather wet one, due to the on-going rain that took place last week, but the money raised was touted as one of the highest amounts in the country.
Amaya Dorsey and Victoria Suppa organized the inaugural event with the help of their advisor Donna Morin, a Social Studies teacher at AHS, who lost her son Nate to suicide.
Although the walk is completed, the girl’s fund-raising efforts will continue to the end of June and they expect to raise over $15,000.
Nearly 200 participants registered for the walk, which Dorsey and Suppa hope to continue in 2026 and train younger students to move it forward next year when they graduate.
Dorsey and Suppa to on the challenge of organizing the event to raise awareness of the issues with mental health.
The two raised much of the funds through contacting business and organizations in town asking for sponsorships and donations.
A number of those businesses donated items for the walk.
They said most of the 200 walkers registered earlier this week or that day.
After a brief ceremony in the school gym, participants set out for a walk that took them out to around the Hills Garrison Elementary School and back around Alvirne.