THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, October 4, 1995 TAG: 9510030109
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 09 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Cover Story
LENGTH: Short : 45 lines
The Virginia Beach Alliance for the Mentally Ill, which will sponsor Saturday morning's Walk for Hope and the evening's Mental Illness Awareness Week banquet, is an affiliate of both the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill and the Virginia Alliance for the Mentally Ill.
By making people more aware of the illnesses and pursuing legislation to fund services and research, NAMI and its affiliates have done much over the past two decades to improve the quality of life for those who suffer from serious psychiatric disorders.
Their advocacy has had a major impact on the establishment of a complex system of medical, social, housing and employment services, which allows the mentally ill to live successfully in the community.
Most importantly to many members, however, has been the support they've received as part of the AMI family.
Marie Howell, chair of the Walk for Hope, has been a rank and file AMI-Virginia Beach member for the past four years. Like most active members of the organization, she has a family member who is affected by mental illness.
``It's really rewarding to see that there are people who care about people who are mentally ill, who will work for them,'' Howell said. ``They're like family. If you have a problem, you know that they understand.'' MEMO: For more information on mental illness, call AMI-Virginia Beach at
499-2041. For details about the Walk for Hope or the Mental Illness
Awareness Week banquet, call 424-0856 or 437-5778.
[For a related story, see microfilm on page 8 of The Beacon for this
date.]
ILLUSTRATION: Marie Howell, chair of the Walk for Hope, has been a member of
the Alliance for the Mentally Ill in Virginia Beach for the past
four years.
KEYWORDS: MENTAL ILLNESS by CNB