Seminar on mental illness planned
The National Alliance on Mental Illness of McHenry County will present Dr. Chandra Vedak, Medical Director of Centegra Behavioral Health, who will conduct a seminar titled, "Co-Occurring Substance Abuse and Mental Disorders." The presentation is at 7 p.m. Thursday at the McHenry County Mental Health Board offices, 620 Dakota St., Crystal Lake.
Following the presentation there will be a question and answer period.
No fee or registration is required. The program is open to families and people living with mental illness, students, and professionals.
Walk for Mental Illness: The NAMI McHenry County sixth annual 5K Walk for Mental Illness Awareness will be held on Sept. 29 at Veteran Acres Park in Crystal Lake. Registration starts at 10 a.m. at the Jaycee Pavilion, with step off at 11 a.m.
Pre-race speakers include Judge Charles P. Weech, 22nd Judicial Circuit Court, McHenry County, who presides over the new mental health court; Vedak; and Sandy Lewis, executive director, McHenry County Mental Health Board.
Fellowship, fun, food, education and music will be a part of this event. Participants and their families can enjoy a raffle courtesy of some of the best services in the Northwest suburbs: Monterra Grill, Panera Bread, On the Border and Biaggi's Ristorante Italiano are just a few of the gift certificates that will be raffled.
Refreshments will be available, as well as exhibit booths for sponsors. A DJ from Electrifying Sounds and saxophonist Jeff Bagin will provide music.
Participants are invited to bring photos, which will be posted on a board for inspiration, of those for whom they are walking.
NAMI-McHenry County is encouraging teams or team captains to come forward and walk for mental wellness.
To request a team captain folder or additional information, please call the NAMI-McHenry County offices at (815) 444-9991 or visit www.namimchenrycounty.org.
This is NAMI-MC's only fundraiser of the year. All donations go directly to serving families and people with mental illness in McHenry County and to help find a cure for mental illness through research.
The National Alliance on Mental Illness is the largest grassroots mental health organization in the United States. Through its national office in the Washington, D.C., area and its more than 1,000 affiliates and 50 state organizations, thousands of NAMI volunteers work tirelessly to provide education and support for those suffering from mental illness and their families, to combat the stigma that surrounds mental illness, and to advocate for increased brain research, adequate health insurance, safe and affordable housing, and rehabilitation and job opportunities necessary for recovery that leads to productive lives.