“Off the Clock” is a blog series that explores the interests and causes to which ECS employees devote themselves outside of work.
EXCELLENCE. GRIT. DRIVE. COMMUNITY.
EXCELLENCE. GRIT. DRIVE. COMMUNITY.
EXCELLENCE. GRIT. DRIVE. COMMUNITY.
EXCELLENCE. GRIT. DRIVE. COMMUNITY.
EXCELLENCE. GRIT. DRIVE. COMMUNITY.
EXCELLENCE. GRIT. DRIVE. COMMUNITY.
EXCELLENCE. GRIT. DRIVE. COMMUNITY.
EXCELLENCE. GRIT. DRIVE. COMMUNITY.
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Every year in early Fall, just as the leaves begin turning in Fairfax, Virginia, ECS Quality Assurance Associate Sydney Will rises, puts on her sneakers, and starts walking. She walks in memory of her sister whom she lost to suicide. She walks in memory of friends who took their own lives. She walks alongside neighbors who too have lost loved ones. She walks so people struggling with depression know they are not alone.
For the past 10 years, Sydney has organized and participated in Fairfax County’s Out of the Darkness Walks. Taking place in cities nationwide, Out of the Darkness Walks raise awareness and much-needed funds for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP).
Q: How did you get involved with the AFSP and their Out of the Darkness Walks?
A: I initially got involved through my sister. Many years ago, after she and I lost a few friends to suicide, my sister began participating in Fairfax County’s annual Out of the Darkness Walk and took me along with her. Unfortunately, a few years after we started participating, I lost my sister to suicide. Losing her was very difficult for me. Afterwards, I tried turning my pain into a positive act and continued participating in these events in her honor.
In the past few years, my role in Fairfax’s Out of the Darkness Walk has grown. After I lost my sister, I became a team captain responsible for recruiting participants and raising funds. Last year, I even served as the walk’s Deputy Chair and worked with community stakeholders to put on the event. Recently, our Fairfax chapter won an AFSP Century Award, which is given to any chapter that raises over $100K in a single event! I’ve always said if I could just help one person a year through these walks, then I’ve met my goal.
Q: In addition to your work with Out of the Darkness Walks, can you tell us about your work supporting veteran mental health initiatives?
A: Part of AFSP’s mission and programming is to educate the public on how to speak about suicide, how to help prevent suicide, and how to identify those who may be at risk. One of their programs is Talk Away the Dark, which helps educate people on how to have authentic and raw conversations about these topics. The suicide rate for veterans is 1.5 times higher than that of the general population, and, historically, veterans have been very hesitant to seek help.
Recently, as part of Mental Health Awareness Month at ECS, I facilitated a Talk Away the Dark discussion with Alexander Silva, manager of military programs with AFSP, as he discussed mental health in the veteran community. The goal was to provide ESCers with the tools and knowledge to help lower the veteran suicide rate and support those in need. ECS has a very large veteran population (over a quarter of our company!), and we do a lot of work on veteran suicide prevention.
Q: People struggling with depression and anxiety often report feelings of isolation. What’s the importance of community and peer support in tackling mental health and suicide prevention?
A: It’s hard for people to discuss vulnerability. People tend to look at it as a weakness. That’s something that affects me so much because I used to think of it that way too. I used to think of it as “oh, you have problems, everybody has problems.” But being vulnerable is really a sign of bravery, especially when somebody’s ready and willing to step up and say, “I can’t do this on my own.”
The biggest thing for me is showing others in this community they are not alone. They are not alone in their struggles. They are not the only one that has lost a sibling. They are not the only one that has lost a friend. Everybody’s so caught up with wanting to put on their best face all the time. But we’re human. We’re vulnerable. We make mistakes. And sometimes we need help. What good are we if we can’t help other people?
So, my role is shining a light on vulnerability and helping those who are struggling to find their footing and resources. I’m always here to chat, serve as a friendly ear, and help point people towards resources they may need.
If you are struggling with thoughts of suicide, please call or text 988 to connect directly to the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.
Veterans can press “1” after dialing 988 to connect directly to the Veterans Crisis Lifeline, which serves our nation’s veterans, service members, National Guard and Reserve members, and those who support them. For texts, veterans should continue to text the Veterans Crisis Lifeline short code: 838255
