Touch base with old friends, share stories, and find out what's going on in the chapter! Refreshments or perhaps dinner to be served (we're still working on details - more to follow in our August newsletter). St. Anne's Church in Barrington - lower level of Thane Hall, starting at 6:30 p.m.

We hope you can join us!

One of the great things about this walk is its high level of organization and the ease with which you can ask for donations. In just a few minutes, you can set up a webpage that explains what the walk is and accepts credit card donations from your sponsors! (I’ve got mine done---check it out!)  You just send an email to those who might be interested and you’re done.

The link below takes you to a page where you can join our team: NAMI Barrington Area.  Our goal is to have at least 25 walkers each raise at least $500. You will note that half of the funds raised will support the North Suburban Area NAMI and half will go directly to the Barrington Area affiliate. If you are not interested in being a walker, perhaps you will sponsor one.  There are also plenty of volunteer assignments you might help with. 

NAMIBA will have a bit of a hiatus during the middle of the summer and September will be upon us sooner than we can imagine.  I hope you will pause right now and sign up to walk on our team.  Then please take just a few more minutes to send a message to folks in your e-mail address book who may be willing to sponsor you.  Then sit back until the days grow cooler and we do our part---Walking for the Mind of America! 

Monday July 9, 7–8:30 p.m. NAMI Cook County North invites you to Overcoming Obstacles to Finding Employment at the Kenton-Knox Conference Center at Rush North Shore Medical Center. Lydia Zopf of Thresholds presents how employment can help with recovery; how to look for work, networking, resume writing, interviewing, help that Thresholds can provide. (No charge, no reservation needed.) Call 847-716-2252 for details.

Wednesday–Thursday, July 11 (9:30–5) and July 12 (8:30–4:15) at the Oak Lawn Hilton. Evidence-Based Practice in Illinois: the Expectation is Recovery, presented by the Illinois Department of Human Services. Nationally-known speakers offer sessions on Management & Recovery, Integrated Dual Diagnosis Treatment, Family Psychoeducation, Supported Employment and Medication Algorithms. For professionals and family members. $50 fee. Call 312-814-2776 for details.

Thursday, July 12. The NAMI Elk Grove Chapter family support group meets the second Thursday of the month at 6:45 p.m. at the Kenneth Young Center, 1001 Rohlwing Rd., Elk Grove. Family, friends, and recovered consumers are welcome Call Sue at 630-529-3037 or Gina at 630 302 2530 for more information.

Tuesday, July 17, NAMI Barrington Area Chapter family support group, 7 – 8:30 p.m. at the Barrington Area Library. (No charge, no reservation needed.) Call Mary at 847-381-6919 for information.

Wednesday, July 18. NAMI Northwest Suburban Chapter family support group meets the third Wednesday of the month at 7 p.m. at Alexian Center for Mental Health, 3350 Salt Creek Lane, Suite 114, Arlington Heights. Call Star at 847-899-0195 for details.

Thursday, July 19. NAMI McHenry County Chapter family support group meets the third Thursday of the month at 7 p.m. at the McHenry County Mental Health Board Building, 620 Dakota St., Crystal Lake. Call 815-444-9991 for information.

Saturday, July 21. NAMI Elk Grove-Schaumburg is offering a family bowling fundraiser at the ElK Grove Bowl. The cost is $35.00 per person ($20.00 for consumers) including 3 lines of bowling, shoe rental, pizza and pasta dinner ($20 for dinner only). This is a great mix and mingle opportunity for other NAMI's and consumer from our surrounding area to have a fun social night out, while supporting a good cause. Deadline for tickets is July 14th.

Please note: the NAMI Barrington Area July board meeting has been canceled.

We will offer two sessions this fall, one of them on Sundays beginning September 16 from 5-8 p.m.and the other on Tuesdays beginning September 18 from 6-9.

These NAMI classes, starting again in the summer, are for family members, partners, and friends of individuals with serious mental illness. "This course is a wonderful experience," said one student. "It balances basic education and skill-training with emotional support, self care and
empowerment."

There is no cost to participate, but registration is necessary as class size is limited.

There is no charge for the course, but please call Marci to register now.

The Illinois state legislature has just passed a bill (Senate Bill 234) which will be of great assistance in getting treatment for persons suffering from mental illness.  Right now it's on the governor's desk for signature, and since he's hesitating to sign it, we need your help to contact him to urge him to sign.

As you probably know, people with mental illness often refuse treatment because they do not recognize they have a problem.  Many of us have experienced the heartbreak of seeing a family member deteriorate to the point that they are a danger to themselves or others and have had to stand helplessly by, unable to get them into a treatment program.

The goal of the legislation is to establish a process that allows people with serious mental illness to receive treatment when they have no insight into their need for treatment. The bill is the result of five years of effort on the part of the mental health community and seeks to bring Illinois up to a standard already set by several other states.

Sponsored by Revolution Health, the innovative online health fair is a showcase of information and resources from NAMI and other organizations, covering a wide spectrum of health and wellness concerns.

At the NAMI "booth," you can get basic facts about mental illness, get information about NAMI's free education and support programs, including the brand-new NAMI Connection recovery support group, find out if the mental health care system in your state made the grade, check out the new NAMI blog...and more!

As an added incentive, Revolution Health will make a donation to NAMI for each daily visitor to the NAMI booth: 25 cents per person, up to a total $10,000 for the length of the health fair.

In order for NAMI to receive credit for your visit, simply use the link below.

Key needs right now: those willing to help with clerical work, those willing to organize social events and those willing to serve on our fundraising committee.  

Call Maryrose at 847-382-6623.

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