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NAMIWalks 5K in Meridian to raise mental health awareness

Meridian Star
Oct 24, 2018

Oct. 23--The Meridian affiliate of the National Alliance on Mental Illness will host its first 5K event in Meridian, marking a push for the organization to educate the community on the mental health resources available locally.

"We want to bring a greater awareness to the community that NAMI exists and we have an affiliate here in Meridian," Jill Walsh, the Meridian NAMI affiliate president, said. "We're raising funds so we can provide free services in the area."

Walsh said that the Meridian affiliate serves counties in Eastern Mississippi focusing on three areas: support, education and advocacy.

With whatever proceeds raised from the Nov. 4 walk, Walsh said NAMI hoped to hold more support classes for people diagnosed with a mental illness or their family members.

"(For the family,) it helps bring a greater sense of what their loved one is going through," Walsh said.

The classes also help connect people with community resources and educate them on the crisis intervention team program, a program that trains law enforcement officers to respond to a mental health crisis.

To learn more about the walk, held on Nov. 4 at Bonita Lakes, or give a donation, email namimeridian@gmail.com. Registration for the event begins at 2 p.m. and the walk begins at 2:30 p.m. To pre-register, visit namiwalks.org/meridian.

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(c)2018 The Meridian Star (Meridian, Miss.)

Visit The Meridian Star (Meridian, Miss.) at meridianstar.com

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