Newspaper Page Text
The Lee County Ledger, Wednesday, September 28, 2011, Page 15A
Mental Illness
Awareness Week
Janie Hughes presents benefits of AMBA to
retired educators.
Newly retired educators, Valerie Bryant, Sara Bess Lunsford, and Sara
Martin, were presented certificates at the September meeting of the
retired educators.
Retired Educators
Holds Monthly Meeting
Special to the Ledger
The Lee County Retired
Educators met Monday,
September 19th at theLees-
burg United Methodist
Church. Linda Cannon,
President, called the meet
ing to order. Sondra Hurst
shared an inspirational
message. Mary Ferguson,
President-Elect introduced
the guest speaker, Janie
Hughes, who was repre
senting AMBA.
Janie Hughes gave an
overview of the benefits
available through AMBA
as GREA members. After
her presentation she had a
drawing for a $25.00 gift
card. The gify card was
won by Valerie Bryant.
Newly retired educa
tors were introduced and
presented certificates from
Linda Cannon and Mary
Ferguson. Those present
were Valerie Bryant, Sara
Bess Lunsford, and Sara
Martin.
Dr. Robert A. Clay gave
a legislative update and
shared the new district
lines for Lee County. The
scholarship committee
reminded the group to
support businesses that
purchased ads to fund the
scholarships.
President Cannon said
one of her goals for this
year was to raise enough
from dues, ads, and dona
tions to give two scholar
ships worth one thousand
dollars each. Patti Wiggins
shared information about
the local food bank that
members will be contrib
uting to at each meeting
during the year.
The next meeting will
be October 17th and the
GREA State President
will be the guest speaker.
Members will be going out
to eat at San Joe’s after the
meeting.
The meeting was ad
journed after door prizes
were given away and all
enjoyed a delicious covered
dish meal.
Special to the Ledger
Mental Illness Aware
ness Week (MIAW) takes
place October 2-8 and is
an opportunity to learn
more about serious mental
illnesses such as major
depression, bipolar disorder
and schizophrenia.
Mental illnesses are
medical illnesses. One in
four adults experiences a
mental health problem in
any given year. One in 17
lives with serious, chronic
illness.
“Many people in our
community are directly
affected by mental illness,”
said Jere Brands, President
of NAMI-Albany. “The
good news is that treatment
does work and recovery is
possible.”
On average, people living
with serious mental illness
live 25 years less than the
rest of the population. One
reason is that less than one-
third of adults and less than
one-half of children with a
diagnosed illness receive
treatment.
“The U.S. Surgeon
General has reported that
stigma is a major barrier to
people seeking help when
they need it,” Brands said.
“That’s why MIAW is so
important. We want people
to understand mental ill
ness and join a dialogue in
our community. The more
people know, the better
they can help themselves
or help their loved ones get
the help and support they
need.”
When mental health
care isn’t available in a
community, the results
often are lost jobs and
careers, broken families,
more homelessness, more
welfare and much more
expensive costs for hospital
emergency rooms, nurs
ing homes, schools, police
and even courts, jails and
prisons.
In anticipation of Mental
Illness Awareness Week,
members and Friends of
NAMI-Albany will join
hundreds of others in Way-
cross and in Metro Atlanta
to participate in the annual
NAMI Walk on Saturday,
October 1.
NAMI, the National
Alliance on Mental Ill
ness, is the nation’s largest
grassroots organization
dedicated to improving
the lives of individuals
and families affected by
mental illness. NAMI has
a national organization as
well as state organizations
and local affiliates in more
than 1.100 communities
across the country.
Learn more about
mental illness and about
support, education and ad
vocacy at www.nami.org.
For more information on
NAMI-Albany programs,
call Pam at (229)343-8791
or Google NAMI Albany
Home.
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m
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Offer Good
Thru October
list, 2011
New all natural flea dip now available!
*5 off
Any Service or Item over $15
Offer Good Thru October 31st, 2011
104 A Century Road, Leesburg
(Corner of US Hwy 19 and Century Road at caution light)
Make Appt. With Liz Sechrist 229-888-22Y2
Boy Scouts
Hold Fright
Night
Special to the Ledger
The Chehaw Council,
Boy Scouts of America
would like to announce
Albany Fright nights are
back again this year. Once
again we will be having the
Haunted House for all to
come out and enjoy. They
expect over 6000 to attend
this year. Cost will be $7
per person. Tickets can be
purchased at the door or
in advance by calling the
Chehaw Council. Proceeds
will go to help support
scouting in the Seventeen
County area of the Chehaw
Council, Boy Scouts of
America.
The event in not suit
able for children under 8,
women who are pregnant,
or people with heart prob
lems.
For questions please con
tact the Chehaw Council
Boy Scouts of America at
(229) 436-7226 or visit the
website at www.chehaw-
council.org.
comes
Community
YARD SALE!
Saturday, October 1,2011
Lee County High School s Front Parking Lot
7:00 a.m. - 12:00 noon
In case or rain, the yard sale will move indoors!
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tomtesomelx,Hyhnmomai
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Purchase a Sales Space
for Only $20
(Rent tables to use in your sales space
for $5 each while they last)
Reserve spaces at 229.903.2297
or TheatreLCHS@lee.kl2.ga.us.
Proceeds benefit the LCHS Theater program.
At day's end, we'll help you
donate any unsold items to charity.
Just want the stuff gone?
Then, donate your items
to the LCHS Theatre Program.
Ifs tax deductible!