Saturday April 6, 2013
Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium
Check in 7 a.m.
Walk starts 9 a.m.

Every journey begins with that first step! As NAMIWalks celebrates our 10th Anniversary in 2012, we are proud to be the largest and most successful mental illness awareness event in America! Through NAMIWalks’ public, active display of support for people affected by mental illness, we are changing our American communities and ensuring that help and hope are available for those in need.

I proudly walked last year after hearing then-CD 8 Congressional candidate Ron Barber (who was shot twice on January 8, 2011 by a mentally ill man) speak compassionately about supporting mental health issues and programs. He said he held no hatred against the mass shooter. Odaiko Sonora taiko drumming group then helped start off the walk around the Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium area, across Ajo Road to the Sam Lena Park and the nearby detention basin ponds, and back to the stadium. About 4,000 people joined in this walk, many with team tshirts.

Go to http://www.namisa.org/, or call 520-622-5582 to register. There are two walks, a 3K and a 5K walk.

Nami programs: family education & support, peer education & support, anti-stigma & advocacy, and support groups

Being as today is April Fool’s Day, I need to emphasize that mental illness is not a joke. We in Tucson know how important mental health services are, especially after that fatal mass shooting on January 8, 2011 by Jared Lee Loughner. He needed intervention and counseling (and hospitalization), and the recent reports released by the Pima County Sheriff reveal the extent of his mental condition prior to the shooting, and what his parents Randy and Amy Loughner knew of his mental illness.

Please support this NAMI walk to raise awareness about mental illness and that help is there for those who need it.

Community Walk for Mental Illness Awareness 2012

Saturday, March 31, 2012
Kino Veterans Memorial Stadium
2500 E. Ajo Way

5k Walk (3 miles)
Shorter route available (1 mile)
*It is not a requirement to walk in order to participate.

Registration Begins: 7 AM
Program Begins: 8 AM
5k Walk Begins at 9 AM

No Registration Fee; fundraising encouraged.
NAMI Walks accepts donations up until 60 days after Walk day which is by May 20th!

Dogs are allowed as long as they do well in crowds. Water for dogs along walk route as well as a doggie treat table at the stadium.

With all the publicity regarding shooter Jared Lee Loughner since the Tucson Tragedy mass shooting of January 8, 2011, NAMI has been hard at work trying to raise awareness and assistance for the mentally ill in Southern Arizona and nation-wide.

2012 Honorary Chair is Ron Barber, former District Director for Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords (and now Democratic candidate for that CD 8 House seat).

More about this walk, so to www.namiwalksaz.org, or call 520-622-5582, or write to NAMIWalks@NAMIsa.org.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. NAMI has over 1,100 affiliates in communities across the country who engage in advocacy, research, support and education. Members of NAMI are families, friends and people living with mental illnesses such as major depression, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder, post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and borderline personality disorder.

All proceeds from NAMIWalks will be used to fund NAMI’s programs which include support, education, advocacy and the encouragement of research involving mental illnesses. We anticipate the continued growth of NAMIWalks in the years to come.

Cafe 54 is located at 54 E. Pennington (hence their name), just west of Scott Avenue in downtown Tucson. The upcoming Silent Auction (their first annual fundraiser) on December 11 will feature paintings, sculpture, jewelry, and will be from 5:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., coinciding with 2nd Saturdays Downtown. Cafe 54′s phone # is 520-622-1907.

Cafe 54 is an innovative bistro serving “New American Fusion” cuisine in the heart of downtown Tucson. The cafe serves lunch Monday through Friday at 11am to 2 pm in an artsy, urban ambiance with a changing daily menu. Cafe 54 is a non-profit organization with an award-winning training and employment support program serving individuals recovering from mental illness.

Cafe 54 is Supported by the Community Partnership of Southern Arizona, Rehabilitation Services Administration and private donations.

Our Mission:

* To assist individuals with mental illnesses become independent, tax-paying citizens.
* To provide trainees with the tools they need to recognize and utilize inherent talents and skills.
* To provide the restaurant community with a pool of reliable employees who have had training and first-hand experience working in a quality restaurant setting.
* To reduce and ultimately eliminate the stigma surrounding mental illness by shifting focus from disabilities to abilities.

If you haven’t tried their delicious, innovative menu for lunch, you should stop by the next time you’re downtown. Their food is always fresh, interesting, imaginative, made from scratch daily in their kitchen.

As a frequent diner, I love the jerk chicken salad, their rosemary rolls, their teriyaki salmon (and most other dishes as well). Here’s their description on the jerk chicken salad: “Jerk seasoned chicken breast, mango, pineapple, strawberries and spiced pecans served on mixed greens and dressed with raspberry vinaigrette.” It is all fabulous.