Heather Buckendahl

Hello everyone and welcome to my Coach Corner! I'm really excited to work with all of you and to meet you in New York. 

About Me:
  • I am orginally from Nebraska.
  • I am the Senior Walker Coach for the Out of the Darkness Walks. February 2020 will be my third year with AFSP. 
  • I am an avid reader. Send me your recommendations, I always need more books to add to my TBR pile. 
  • I manage volunteer nights for The Overnight at our National Office. Want to help us out? Sign up here.
  • I also work on our editorial calendar for our Overnight Facebook page and Twitter. Make sure to follow us for fundraising tips and Overnight annoucements. 
  • Honor Bead colors: purple, silver, green, teal, and blue. 
Fundraising Favorites:
  • Holding a fundraising event at your local community center. 
  • Sharing your story on Facebook along with your fundraising link. 
  • Thank You notes or statuses for your donors. Everyone likes to be recognized for their contributions. I especially like public thank yous as they can be a great way to express gratitude and they can encourage others to donate to you.

My Overnight Walks  

Tell Me Your Story
My first Overnight Walk was in San Diego (2017). Below is my first Overnight selfie. I was super nervous for my first event, but so excited to get to meet all of my Walkers, and to experience this one-of-a-kind event. My first event I was at check-in and helping out in Road Dispatch. 
 
 
My fifth Overnight Walk was in San Francisco (2019). Now you can find me at check-in, running around the Ceremony Site, or out on the route as Caboose or Rest Stop Closure. New York City will be my seventh Overnight, and I'm definitely feeling a lot more confident and still super excited to meet all of you. Below is a photo with one of my alumni Walkers, Sarah. 
 
If you see me at The Overnight, please stop by and say "hi" or give me a hug. I might look like I'm busy, but I'm always so happy to meet you. 
 

Take Care  

Click for a Break
I think it's so aweasome how hard all of you work to complete your fundraising, but it's so important to take care of yourself on this journey.
 
  • Take a walk (maybe not a 16 to 18 mile walk, but get outside and move around) 
  • Nap time (cozy up with a big fluffy blanket and rest your eyes)
  • Bake, make, or create (let those creative juicies flow) 
  • Rest up and look at photos of cute dogs (pictured below: my friend's dogs; Cooper and Nash, my mom's dog; Molly, and my brother's dog; Winston) 

Contact Me  

Current Office Hours: Monday through Friday 9am to 5pm EST

I would love to help you with your fundraising or to chat about your questions, successes, or concerns. You can reach me directly, via email at [email protected] or by phone at 347-826-3603.

You can also reach us by calling 888-TheOvernight (888-843-6837) or emailing us at [email protected]. 

Resources  

If you are in crisis, please call 1-800-273-8255 or text TALK to 741-741

Find support here. 

Fundraising? Check out Walker Central: New York.  

Looking for facts? Look at our statistics on suicide. 

Want to know where the money goes? Find our annual reports here. 

Want to get invovled? Check out the different wants to get invovled here. 

Have a question? Contact me or look at our Frequently Asked Questions.