People walk for 2 causes in Bend, raise awareness, support, funds to end addiction, prevent suicides

(Update: Adding video, comments from walkers)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- On the High Desert, people were walking with a purpose in two Bend locations on Saturday. Hundreds of Central Oregonians gathered together for two walk -- the Walk for Recovery and the Out of the Darkness Central Oregon Walk -- both providing support and raising funds, as well as awareness, for two important issues. 

"For people like myself in recovery, the isolation of the pandemic was really hard and a lot of people relapsed," Oregon Recovers Executive Director Mike Marshall said. "Creating events where people can come out and be with other people in recovery is is really, really important."

The Walk for Recovery in Bend was one of six held around the state, with a goal to raise $100,000 "to continue the fight to end Oregon's addiction crisis." Organizers noted that Oregon has the nation's second-highest addiction rate and is last among states in access to treatment.

Bend's Walk for Recovery, the first held since 2019, began at the Commons Cafe. Each walk followed a two-mile route past treatment providers, recovery houses, detox centers and MAT (medication-assisted treatment) clinics. 

One Bend participant, Madras resident Geraldine Hernandez, said, "The reason I'm here today is because I myself am a recovering addict and alcoholic. And before that, I was struggling, and I was with my aunts, who took care of me in that struggle. They also themselves have struggled with addiction."

While people were walking for recovery in downtown Bend, hundreds of people were also walking at Alpenglow Park for the fourth annual Out of the Darkness Walk.

The walk provided support and raised awareness for suicide prevention. They also were fundraising to honor 988, the national 24/7 suicide prevention lifeline.

 Central Oregon Chair Kelly Wilder said, "As someone who has grown up in this community, it's so important to feel as though you have a community behind you when you're struggling, and to be able to give a voice to people is just amazing."

The Out of the Darkness Central Oregon Walk had surpassed their fundraising goal of $10,000 before the event was held.