Jackson Free Press

I am writing you today to tell you about an upcoming event that I am participating in that is both very important and very exciting to me. It is NAMIWalks for the Mind of America, NAMI's signature walkathon event that is being held in Jackson, MS at Mayes Lake State Park on November 7, 2009. Registration begins at 9 AM, and the walk begins at 10 AM.

I am participating for the fifth time because I am a member of NAMI, and I have struggled in the past with panic attacks, depression and suicide. Because of my struggles, I have seen the shortcomings in how mental illness is dealt with in our society, and I want to help change that.

I would like to ask you to come and walk with me or to donate to support my participation in this great event. Visit my personal walker page to sign up. It features a link to my team's page where you can see who else is walking with me. There is also a link so you can donate directly to me online. Donating online is fast and secure, and I'll get immediate notification via e-mail of your donation. This year, the fundraising goal for my team, The Church Triumphant, is $500. If you would prefer to mail your donation, send a check or money order payable to NAMI Mississippi to this address:

NAMI Mississippi
411 Briarwood Dr, Ste 401
Jackson, MS 39206

Please be sure to indicate that the donation is for The Church Triumphant NAMIWalks team so that we can get proper credit for it.

NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, is the largest education, support and advocacy organization that serves the needs of all those who's lives are touched by these illnesses. This includes persons with mental illness, their families, friends, employers, the law enforcement community and policy makers. The NAMI organization is composed of approximately 1100 local affiliates, 50 state offices and a national office.

The goals of the NAMIWalks program are: to fight the stigma that surrounds mental illness, to build awareness of the fact that the mental health system in this country needs to be improved and to raise funds for NAMI so that they can continue their mission.

NAMI is a 501(c)3 charity and any donation you make to support my participation in this event is tax deductible. NAMI has been rated by Worth magazine as among the top 100 charities "most likely to save the world" and has been given an "A+" rating by The American Institute of Philanthropy for efficient and effective use of charitable dollars. NAMI has also been given 4 out of 4 stars by The Charity Navigator for short-term spending practices and long-term sustainability.

Thank you in advance for your support.

UPDATE: Here is the official team's T-shirt...

TCT NAMIWalks 2009 by reasontolive
Get a t-shirt at Zazzle

Previous Comments

ID

151279

Comment

I think I'm going to walk this! Folks, this is a 4K--a perfect walk for somebody just starting out. (Four kilometers is a little over two miles, and that includes both down and back.) And it's a beautiful venue!

Author

Tom Head

Date

2009-08-27T05:34:24-06:00

ID

151322

Comment

Tom, it would be great if you joined us! Go here to register online: http://www.nami.org/namiwalks09/MIS/tct. If you prefer, I can email a form to you and you can email it back to me or fax it to NAMI. Just let me know. :)

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2009-08-27T15:19:20-06:00

ID

151358

Comment

I just finished designing our team's T-shirt for this year. I added a picture of it to the blog entry above. Do you think it has a chance of winning the T-shirt contest?

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2009-08-28T11:06:22-06:00

ID

153135

Comment

BUMP! NAMIWalks is tomorrow! There's still time to give if you wish to do so. You can donate online at http://www.nami.org/namiwalks09/MIS/lwillis or send a check to: NAMI Mississippi 411 Briarwood Dr, Ste 401 Jackson, MS 39206 Please be sure to indicate that the donation is for The Church Triumphant NAMIWalks team. If you want to come to the walk tomorrow, it will be at Mayes Lake off Lakeland Drive. Go down Lakeland and turn on Layfair Drive, which is next to the Shell station and across the street from the fire station. The check-in time starts at 9:00, and the walk starts at 10:00. Just fill out a form and be prepared for a little exercise! There will also be a picnic and entertainment after the walk this year, so come on down!

Author

LatashaWillis

Date

2009-11-06T06:23:33-06:00