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Bravo!!!

Although Mental Health Awareness Month ends May 31, we at NAMI Butler County hope that working to maintain your mental health will be ongoing for everyone.

NAMI Butler celebrated mental health month with several community events, including our 2^nd Annual Golf Scramble and Walk, which raised more than $10,000 to support those affected by mental illness.

Butler County commissioner Kevin Boozel kicked off the Golf Scramble and Walk, welcoming golfers, walkers, and volunteers and thanking them for supporting NAMI Butler’s efforts. He reminded the crowd that since the pandemic, mental health conditions are on the rise, with local schools sharing concerns for their students’ mental well-being and Butler County reporting “the highest number of homeless families in decades.” He said that on behalf of all the Butler County commissioners, he is “grateful for this organization and to the golfers who came out to support it.”

NAMI Butler County extends its deep appreciation to the numerous volunteers who helped make the May 21 event successful. We also want to give special recognition and thanks to the generous support of this year’s sponsors. They are:

United Steelworkers District 10
P.B.S. Mental Health Associates, P.C.
United Steel Workers 8042
My Dog, Inc.
Troy Alan Chevrolet
Dan DeWalt Cement Finishing
Butler County Community College Education Foundation
Clarion Psychiatric Center
The Sweet Gremlin
Butler County Human Services
Ken and Zarah Blair
Carbonite Metal Coatings
The Honorable Lewis Stoughton

Special thanks to all those who donated baskets, volunteered their time or gave in any way to make this event a success. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. We couldn’t do it without you!

Community Engagement

NAMI Butler County board members attended several community events as part of Mental Health Awareness Month, sharing a message of support and hope to those affected by mental illness.

NAMI Butler board members Mary Lindsay (center) and Linda Schmitmeyer along with Linda’s husband, Steve, spoke to the congregation at Sower’s Chapel in Sarver during Sunday services on May 22. Mary, a church member, shared information about the support and educational programs available through NAMI Butler, and Linda and Steve shared their experience of living with Steve’s mental illness. Steve was diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder in his 40s, when the couple had three young children at home.

Linda documented the family’s journey and Steve’s recovery in a memoir, “Rambler: A Family Pushes Through the Fog of Mental Illness.” She and Steve shared details of their challenges and read passages from “Rambler.” The service is available on YouTube at https://bit.ly/RamblerReading_SowersChapel ; the NAMI Butler presentation and readings begin at 28.22 minutes.

Board member Rich Wozniak, far left, was part of a panel discussion on suicide awareness and prevention at the Penn State University Dubois campus on May 5. The panel met following a viewing of the documentary “My Ascension; A film to spread hope and prevent suicide.” The film chronicles the journey of a teenager who was left paralyzed in her effort to end her life and two remarkable young people who tragically did not survive their attempts. The survivor was propelled to share her painful experience In “The Ascension,” in an effort to help others find hope and stay alive. The panel included representatives from the PA State legislator, Dubois university, mental health practitioners, and area social service agencies. The screening was presented by the Clearfield/Jefferson Suicide Prevention Team.

Members of NAMI Butler Board of Directors, Joyce Saunders and Rich Wozniak, staffed an information table at the Career and Resource Fair at Tanglewood Senior Center in Butler on May 12. NAMI Butler was there to provide information about programs and support available to individuals affected by a mental health condition. The event was sponsored by the Butler County Healthcare Consortium and the Butler Collaborative for Families.

Bravo!!!

United Steelworkers District 10

P.B.S. Mental Health Associates, P.C.

United Steel Workers 8042

My Dog, Inc.

Troy Alan Chevrolet

Dan DeWalt Cement Finishing

Butler County Community College Education Foundation

Clarion Psychiatric Center

The Sweet Gremlin

Butler County Human Services

Ken and Zarah Blair

Carbonite Metal Coatings

The Honorable Lewis Stoughton

Special thanks to all those who donated baskets, volunteered their time or gave in any way to make this event a success. Your generosity is greatly appreciated. We couldn’t do it without you!