Rains that saturated Danville in the early morning hours Saturday were still lingering as the setup began for the Out of the Darkness Walk in Ballou Park.

The wet weather forced an abbreviated schedule and only brought out a few dozen of the 71 people who had signed up for the suicide prevention event.

But when Montana Tarpley started talking at 10:30 a.m. and welcomed the walkers and volunteers there, something happened.

Sunshine peeked out from behind the clouds.

“And look, the sun is coming out on us,” Tarpley said to cheers of those gathered, as if the sudden turn amounted to a beacon of hope.

This marks the 11th year of the fundraising effort and the first time Tarpley has served as the walk chair committee.

Lorrie Eanes, who has handled it for the last several years, handed the

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