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AUBURN — A motorcycle ride to increase awareness of suicide and its after-effects will be held on Sunday, Sept. 24, beginning in Auburn and ending in Portland.
The Ride for Suicide will meet at 10 a.m. in the Auburn Mall lower parking lot near Center Street, and will depart for at 11 a.m. after opening remarks from event organizers and former Auburn and Lewiston Mayor John Jenkins.
The ride is expected to last for just over an hour as riders take the scenic route to Portland, ending their ride with a meetup with event participants of the Out of the Darkness walk for American Foundation for Suicide Prevention being held at Thompson’s Point in Portland. Anyone interested in participating in the Ride for Suicide is encouraged to join the event.
There will be free coffee and pastries before the ride, and donations will be accepted.
Event organizer Nick Danforth, who lost his father, David, to suicide in August 2015, started the ride to help others suffering from the after effects of suicide. “Much like life is a surprise and suicide unexpected, with this being the first year, we’re not quite sure what to expect, either,” Danforth said. “The outpouring of positive feedback from folks so far has been amazing, and even before a single rider rides, we’ve already begun achieving our purpose for this event.
“We want to help and connect with other people affected by this tragedy while creating a venue for people to remember their loved ones while increasing awareness about suicide.”
He said donations collected at the event, as well as proceeds from raffles and a 50/50, will go to support someone locally who has recently lost someone to suicide.
For more information on the Ride for Suicide, search Ride for Suicide on Facebook
