October Events from NAMI Montgomery County

Dear MontCo NAMI Members and friends:

On Thursday, October 1st. Tony Salvatore from Montgomery County Emergency Services will present on "Suicide Prevention and System Transformation". With the high rate of suicide for those affected by mental illness and substance abuse disorders, this is a very important issue for all of us to learn more about. Please plan to join us for this free presentation. More details are available in our newsletter.

Sunday October 4th is the start of Mental Illness Awareness Week. To kick things off we will hold our traditional Candlelight Ceremony, 7 PM at Building 33 (Norristown State Hospital). Glenn Koons, Certified Peer Specialist, will be our speaker and refreshments will be served.

Be sure to join us at Montgomery County Community College on Tuesday October 6th, 7 PM at Science Hall, for Dr. Joel Schwartz, the "Stress Less Shrink". Enjoy an evening of humor with Dr. Schwwatz-- again no charge but be sure to RSVP (details in the Memo).

Also to celebrate the week we will be donating $500 each to five major libraries in Montgomery County (Norristown, Pottstown, Abington, Lansdale and Upper Dublin). We are asking that the libraries use the funds to purchase books on mental illness. A list of suggested books will be provided along with book plates, indicating that the book was donated by our NAMI affiliate and contact information for each of our offices.

We have arranged the check presentations at each library with photographers from local area newspapers at the following times:

Lansdale - Monday 10/5 at 11 AM
Upper Dublin - Monday 10/5 at 1 PM
Norristown - Monday, 10/5 at 2:30 PM
Pottstown - Tuesday 10/6 at 2 PM
Abington- Thursday 10/8 at 10 AM

The funds are proceeds from our 2009 Greater Philadelphia NAMIWalk. We are hopeful that this effort will help to increase public understanding of mental illness.

Carol