8 · NAMI MISSISSIPPI
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he coronavirus pandemic severely impacted our affiliate’s scheduled outreach activities this spring. Activities we are usually involved in, such as the quarterly breakfast of the Oxford Lafayette County Mental Health Association, were canceled. Because the campus was closed, interaction with Ole Miss was also impacted. One highlight was NAMI Mississippi’s virtual state conference in May. Mary Harrington and Hanne Gaycken registered for the event and were impressed with the programming. Several of our affiliate members also planned on registering for the virtual NAMI National Conference on July 13-14. Our last face-to-face meeting of the Family Support Group took place on March 13. But thanks to NAMI Mississippi staff, we have been able to proceed with our Family Support Group and Connection meetings via conference call. We have decided to continue to meet via conference call until we feel comfortable meeting in person. One of our members has identified a meeting space that will allow us to socially distance when we are ready to meet face to face again. Our affiliate welcomed a new member this spring: Hal Ferguson, a retired lawyer, originally from Birmingham, joined us and impressed us all with his engagement and insights. Despite heavy rain and thunderstorms, our Affiliate met face to face (with appropriate distancing) on June 24 on Hanne’s
screened-in porch. We approved the treasurer’s report and budget, and expressed thanks to the State Office for providing a report of affiliate financial transactions. We also reviewed the membership list provided by NAMI Mississippi, and will contact several people with lapsed memberships to encourage them to pay dues. The following officers were elected for the upcoming year: • President: Hanne Gaycken • Vice President: Hal Ferguson • Secretary: Clarice Ivy • Treasurer: Carol VanBesien • Member at Large: Michael Danahy • Connection Representative: Karsten Gaycken • Affiliate Representative: Mary Harrington Our affiliate brainstormed ideas for more effectively promoting our presence in the community and expanding our membership. Ideas include creating a social media presence for our Family Support and Connections Groups, as well as contacting the Oxford Chamber of Commerce about including our literature in their welcome packet. The Oxford Affiliate agreed to hold a virtual NAMI Walk scheduled for October 10 during the NAMIWalks National Day of Hope. Mary Harrington is the walk manager for the event and can be reached at ccmary@olemiss.edu. To register for the walk online as an individual or team member, donate or sponsor, visit namiwalks.org/oxford. Submitted by Mary Harrington NAMI Oxford Affiliate Representative
Attendees at the NAMI Central Mississippi affiliate meeting on March 9, 2020 at Galloway United Methodist Church. Micah Dutro of Disability Rights Mississippi is the speaker.
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ince the last newsletter, our affiliate has had two meetings. The first was on March 9 at Galloway United Methodist Church in Jackson, and the guest speaker was Micah Dutro, legal director of Disability Rights Mississippi. He explained the purpose of and the need for the organization. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the second meeting was held via videoconference on July 29, and the speaker was Dr. Tiffany Anderson-Washington of Hinds Behavioral Health Services. She explained how mobile crisis units work and the challenges facing them. NAMI Central Mississippi is going through a vigorous restructuring process, and the first part of that process was to elect officers, who are as follows: • Auvergne Williams, President and Affiliate Representative • Latasha Willis, Vice President • Kawanna Jenkins, Secretary • Dr. Tiffany Anderson-Washington, Treasurer The officers also agreed to have pre-scheduled monthly meetings on first Tuesdays at 7 p.m. for the remainder of 2020. These meetings will be virtual as well. If you want to be emailed with the videoconference link and call-in number prior to each meeting, join our mailing list at bit.ly/namicmlist. We are also excited about our upcoming NAMI Peer-to-Peer class starting September 5. Central Mississippi members Jessica James and Latasha Willis will be leading the eight-week course virtually, and the free class is open statewide to individuals with a mental health condition. Register by August 28 at centralp2pfall20. eventbrite.com. Space is limited. NAMI Central Mississippi has a bright future, and we are asking our members to reach out to us if you wish to help us increase awareness of our affiliate or volunteer. Our email address is centralms@ namims.org. Be sure to keep up with us on Facebook. Thanks for your support! Submitted by: Latasha Willis, NAMI Central MS Vice President
