Walk to mark Mental Illness Awareness Week

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Mental Illness Awareness Week, “Building Community, Taking Action” is Oct. 1-7.

Kicking off National Mental Illness Awareness Week in the Bangor-Brewer area is the eighth annual Mental Illness Awareness Walk, reports MIAW coordinator Vicky Blanchette.

The 3.5-mile walk, to help promote education, understanding and acceptance of mental illness, begins with check-in and registration at 11 a.m., and the walk at noon, Sunday, Oct. 1, at Twin City Plaza in Brewer.

The walk proceeds along State Street to the Penobscot Bridge, crossing into Bangor and proceeding along Washington, Central and Main streets before turning onto Chamberlain Bridge and heading back into Brewer along Wilson Street, across to Twin City Plaza.

The walk is open to anyone and, in fact, Blanchette wrote planners “are hoping to welcome 200 walkers this year to help us raise awareness of mental illness.”

The first 200 registered walkers receive a free Mental Illness Awareness T-shirt, and everyone will be treated to a free barbecue after the walk, Blanchette wrote.

She added that more volunteers would be most welcome, as well, “to help at the event,” as would “walkers who would like to raise funds through getting pledges for their participation in the 3.5-mile walk to support the MIAW mission.”

You can receive more information and download pledge forms at www.mentalillnessawareness-me.org.

To preregister for the walk, call 989-4007, ext. 236.

Blanchette reminds readers that “millions of American live with some form of mental illness” and that “in the past decade, medical science has made huge gains in diagnosing and treating all forms of mental illness, providing hope to many.”

However, she added, “in spite of the scientific progress and increased understanding about the origins and treatment of mental illness, there continues to be a general lack of awareness, in society, which leads to continued stigma for individuals with mental illness, and their families.”

The hope is events such as this will raise that level of awareness and understanding.

The walk is a collaborative effort of OHI, Community Health and Counseling Services, The Acadia Hospital, city of Bangor, Dorothea Dix Psychiatric Center and the National Association for the Mentally Ill Maine Chapter.

Irv Marsters encourages area business and professional people to help young people learn “how business works” in your community by becoming a Junior Achievement volunteer.

Currently, Marsters wrote, “there are more than 45 offerings in local schools, but not enough volunteers to handle all of the teacher requests.”

Information about becoming a Junior Achievement volunteer will be provided you while you are a guest for lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28, at the Oriental Jade Restaurant at the Bangor Mall.

To register for your free lunch, call Marsters at Bangor Letter Shop, 945-9311, or Helen Pennington at the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce, 947-0307.

Marsters explained that “Junior Achievement materials are designed for business volunteers to deliver upon request of schoolteachers, and focus on fun learning at each grade level.”

He added that “topic, grade level and scheduling choices are all flexible and negotiable.”

If you are in the area, you are invited to attend an Old Home Sunday Service at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1, at Willimantic Community Chapel.

The guest speaker will be Phil Bean. The event features special music and a meal after the service that includes homemade ice cream and homemade pie, and fresh-pressed apple cider.

The Old Home celebration includes games for all ages, and everyone is welcome.

Members of Presque Isle High School Class of 1977 are making plans for their 30th Class Reunion next year, and they would like your help.

A Class Reunion Meeting is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 2, at the Coca-Cola facility on Airport Drive in Presque Isle.

All classmates are welcome, and sincerely encouraged to attend.

Additionally, all members of PIHS ’77 are urged to register on the class Web site at www.geocities.com/pihs1977.

Students in kindergarten through grade seven are invited to register for the University of Maine Fall 2006 After School ArtWorks program which is Oct. 13 through Nov. 10 at Lord Hall on the Orono campus.

The fee to cover the cost of materials is $25, and a limited number of scholarships are available for the program under the direction of art professor Constant Albertson.

For more information, or to register, call Albertson at 581-3251 or e-mail constant.albertson@umit.Maine.edu.

Joni Averill, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402; 990-8288.