NAMI Vicksburg Update

Happy New Year! We can hardly believe 2020 is here, and my, how time flies!

At the beginning of 2019, our affiliate was offered the opportunity to earn a $500 national grant. With hard work and the dedication of our affiliate members, this grant was successfully earned. Our affiliate received the $500 grant on January 6, 2020. Our affiliate members completed four Family and Friends presentations. Mary Pope and Jenny Drake led the April presentation at the Warren-Yazoo Mental Health Complex Conference Room. On November 14, Delores McGee and Jenny Drake conducted two sessions of the 90-minute Family & Friends presentation with the staff at Vicksburg Cooper Lighting, Eaton Plant. Also, as Family-to-Family State Trainers, our teachers will be traveling to Baton Rouge, Louisiana to work as trainers with the Baton Rouge Family & Friends four-hour presentation. Upon completion of the recertification requirements for our new Family-toFamily manual, plans will also be ongoing to offer more Family & Friends classes in Vicksburg during the month of February.

September 28, we held our first NAMIWalks Vicksburg. We are proud to announce that the Vicksburg Affiliate achieved its 2019 goal to raise $5000. Thank you to Mayor George Flaggs, our emcee, Emmarie Anderson, and all our local sponsors and supporters. Without their donations, footwork, and prayers, this accomplishment would not have been possible. We also want to give a huge thank-you to our NAMIWalks chairperson, Delores McGee. Her leadership was phenomenal!

October 22, Dr. Gloria Butler of Merit Health River Region was NAMI Vicksburg’s guest speaker in the conference room of the Warren-Yazoo Behavioral Health Conference Room. Her topic was “The Role of Mental Wellness in Physical Health.” Our affiliate holds quarterly presentations on topics of importance to the well-being of the public.

The Affiliate’s awesome birthday parties for those celebrating birthdays in October, November and December were held for the fall quarter. Thanks to our affiliate members for their continued support. All those in attendance were delighted and a good time was had by all. December 5, we held our sixth annual Affiliate Christmas Party at the WarrenYazoo Behavioral Health Conference Room. Thanks to all members and friends who donated their time and provided gifts, food, games, decorations and Christmas songs for all our guests. December 12, NAMI Vicksburg’s enthusiasm was on full display as our members represented the affiliate in the city’s annual Christmas Parade. A special thank you to Mary Pope and our Wisconsin Cove Apartments members for their participation.

NAMIWalks Vicksburg 2019

COURTESY NAMI VICKSBURG

As you can see, we are a very active affiliate and plan to keep up the energy as we enter the 2020 year.

January 28 was the most recent NAMI Vicksburg Affiliate Meeting. Our meeting was at 6:00 p.m. in the Warren-Yazoo Behavioral Health Complex Conference Room. The guest speaker was Dr. Casy McNemar, Supervisor at Warren-Yazoo Behavior Health System. His topic was “Crisis Services at Warren-Yazoo Behavioral Health.” Our Affiliate business meeting followed the presentation.

At this time, we are busy organizing and scheduling classes for the spring and summer months. We scheduled a Family & Friends presentation in early February. With hard work and a lot of luck, we will set dates for a Family-to-Family eightweek course beginning in late March. A Peer-to-Peer class is scheduled for the spring as well. Hopefully there will be more to come. Please check out our Facebook page and our website.

- Submitted by Jenny Drake, NAMI Vicksburg Affiliate Member

NAMI Vicksburg Christmas Party

COURTESY NAMI VICKSBURG

NAMIWalks Vicksburg 2019

COURTESY NAMI VICKSBURG

NAMIWalks Vicksburg 2019

COURTESY NAMI VICKSBURG