On Saturday, Sept. 24, downtown Laramie was not its usual quiet, small-town self. Neither was Bond’s Brewing company, as it had its door open at 7:00 a.m. instead of its usual 11:00 a.m. Saturday hours. The brewing company also veered from its regular menu by offering donuts, coffee, and breakfast burritos to fuel the surrounding volunteers.
These volunteers would spend the rest of Saturday morning setting up and participating in the annual 5k Walk to Remember fundraising event on suicide awareness and memorial.
“Mallory had a cousin that was a victim of suicide, and we wanted to do something in memory of him,” Becky Johnson said about her partner Mallary Bond owner of Bonds Brewery.
The brewery company would act as the starting line for the 5k and the halfway point as the course circled the downtown area twice.
“The first year, we had an amazing support group of women that wanted to rally around Mallory and support Mallory,” Johnson said. “We ended up throwing the first 5k together in two weeks and had over 120 people turn out.”
The 5k organized by the nonprofit Laramie Love has since grown in its three years and has had more organizations rally around the Walk to Remember cause.
The non-profit works closely with a coalition in Albany county called Coalition to Prevent Suicide and Substance Abuse (CPSSA).
CPPSA Coordinator for Prevention Services Tracy Yong would lead the 5k walk in a brief moment of silence and recognition before the walk began.
Other groups that helped co-sponsor included organizations which included the Albany Country Fraternal Order Police Lodge and its President Patrick Buenger.
“When Becky asked us to be a part of this event we were more than happy to get involved as it falls in line with our mission as police officers,” Buenger said.
“It was clear that this was something we should support and be involved with.”
Buenger was not the only first responder organization there as the President of local fire union 946 Johnathan Pisciotti would start the 5k with sirens and flashing lights from its fire truck.
“We had about 100 hundred people pre-register for the event,” Johnson said. “But we usually have about a hundred walk-ons.”
The proceed from the 5k that was raised from the registration fees will be donated to an undecided organization that supports and works in the suicide prevention field.
“We would just really like to thank Petes Builders, Trident Electric, First Interstate Bank, and the Colation to Prevent Suicide and Substance Abuse for all their love and support,” Johnson said.
