NAMI Oxford

The 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