MIAW Affiliate Information

NAMI Moore County: Will be hosting its 2^nd annual Pathway to Awareness Weekend September 29-30. The activities will begin on September 24^th and 25^th with a special presentation of the Academy Award winning film, “A Beautiful Mind”, at the Sunrise Theatre in Southern Pines. This special showing will be free and open to the public. “Out of the Shadows”, a compelling documentary by Susan Smiley will be shown on September 29 at 5:30pm at the Sandhills Community College, Owens Auditorium. Afterwards, the Ruth Pauley Lecture Series in cooperation with NAMI-MC will present Pete Earley, author of the book Crazy, with book signings to be offered on Sunday, September 30. Sunday will also offer a Consumer Art Exhibit, a Silent Auction, an “Ask the Psychiatrist Forum” and a ½ to 2 mile walk. This event will close with the “Candles in the Sky” observance at 3:30pm. This observance helps fund the Pathway to Awareness weekend and consists of balloons that are released into the sky with messages of hope attached to them in honor of or in memory of someone who suffers or has suffered with a mental illness or their family members and friends. The donation for each balloon is $5.00. For more information: PtaWeekend@aol.com  or call 910-528-6820. 

NAMI Cumberland County: Will be displaying the Celebration of Courage, a re-creation of Van Gogh’s Irises painting, behind the Medical Arts Building on the corner of Robeson and Hay Street. This display celebrates the courage, hope, and recovery of people with mental illnesses by sponsoring flowers. Three types of flowers can be sponsored: Irises in honor or memory of people with mental illnesses, Tulips in honor or memory of family members, advocates and friends and Daisies in honor or memory of health care professionals or researchers. For more information or to sponsor a flower please email Robert Arnold of NAMI Cumberland County at rarnold16@nc.rr.com or call at (910)867-0405.                                                                                         

NAMI Orange County: Will be showing the premiere of a documentary by Philip Brubaker, a member of the Nothing to Hide Coalition on Mental Health. The documentary is about Brushes with Life: Art, Artists, & Mental Illness is a patient art gallery located on the third floor of the UNC Neuroscience hospital in the halls approaching the psychotic disorders inpatient unit, which is part of the Schizophrenia Treatment and Evaluation Program (STEP). STEP provides inpatient and outpatient care of patients dealing with psychotic symptoms or illnesses such as Schizophrenia and Schizoaffective disorder. The gallery features artwork from former STEP inpatients, current STEP clinic outpatients, or clients from Club Nova, a local clubhouse for the mentally ill in Carrboro. For more information, please email swspalt@mindspring.com .

NAMI Rowan County: Is planning its fourth annual fund-raising event during Mental Illness Awareness Week October 7-13, 2007.  A “Celebration of Success” dinner is to be held Thursday, October 11, 2007 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Salisbury.  Consumers   nominated by services provider staff members as having achieved success in overcoming mental illness will be recognized.  A professional selected by NAMI Rowan membership will receive a Professional of the Year Award for their work with those with mental illness and their families.  This year’s event will include a panel discussion about Building Community for Family Recovery.

NAMI FOUR SEASONS: Will be hosting a presentation by Angela Vickers, attorney, advocate and author of “Brain Bondage” on October 13^th. There will be visual presentation, Q&A, a book signing and food will be served. This event will be free of charge. It will be held at the Grace Lutheran Church in Hendersonville from 2:00-5:30PM. RSVP’s ARE NECESSARY. Please contact Leslie Huntley at (828)894-3507 to RSVP. 

NAMI NC: Has worked with Borders Bookstores on a “Benefit Day”. Please see the link on our main page for a printable version of this 10% coupon to be used only on October 12 & 13^th at a BORDERS Bookstore in your area. Make sure to pass the word along about these coupons because the proceeds from the coupons used will go to NAMI NC. The Quail Ridge Book Store off Wade Ave. and Public libraries around Wake County will also be participating in Mental Illness Awareness Week by displaying many titles related to Mental Illness along with NAMI NC brochures.

NAMI Cabarrus County: Will be holding a Presentation on Mental Illness by Sarah Boyd, an In Our Own Voice representative, on Monday, October 8 at 7pm at the Cabarrus County Senior Center in Concord, NC. On Tuesday, October 9 at 6:30pm at All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Concord, NC Reverend Lin Bratcher will be holding a prayer service honoring National Prayer Day for Mental Illness. Following this service, at 7pm in the Parish Hall, there will be a showing of the documentary Out of the Shadows followed by questions and answers. NAMI Cabarrus County will be hosting a Talk on Bipolar Disorder by Dave Cardwell who has written and published a book on how Bipolar Disorder has affected his life. The book will be available following the talk. Also, all Cabarrus County Libraries and Waldenbooks in Carolina Mall will have book displays and brochures available on Mental Illness. If you have any questions about these events, please contact Melissa Thayer at 704-502-8505.