A Beautiful Day for Our Walk

I hope that everyone enjoyed the walk as much as I did! Many of you I have not seen since last year’s walk and it was great catching up what is happening in your life. Many of you were new to the walk and I was delighted to meet new supporters of NAMI – next year we can catch up.

I want to thank you for your support not just in terms of financial contributions, but also in the very important process of spreading awareness. As family members of individuals with mental illness, as caregivers and as service providers we must change the perception of mental illness and bring the concept of Recovery/Resilience into the community knowledge base.

One of the most common questions after the walk is about late contributions. If you get checks or if someone wants to send in a check, please send them to:

NAMI Hamilton County
3805 Edwards Road, Suite 130
Cincinnati, OH 45209

The online system will accept contributions for the next 60 days. Please communicate this to your Walkers.

I will be getting back to you to let you know how we did against our goals and to let you know who is the T-Shirt winner ( this is going to be a difficult decision as there were many great designs).

If you have any comments about the walk, what you liked or areas of improvement, please email me.

Thanks you much and have a wonderful Mother’s day.

Rita

Beautiful Weather for NAMIWALK

The walk is Saturday and the weather is going to hold out and be beautiful. A new feature this year, beside the change in staging location, is a great jazz group. I am getting really excited and look forward to seeing you. Thanks for all your support!

Our walk goal is $130,000 and 1,200 walkers. Online we have a total of $53,371. You raised $8,848 since my last Thursday – we are at our final push!

Send out one last email to all your Walkers and have them send an email blast to the individuals they have contacted. Here is an example, “The NAMIWalks is coming up this Saturday and I want to thank everyone that has contributed so generously to support my participation. If you have not yet had a chance - it is not too late!! Please go to (my website link) and help me meet (beat) my goal! If you can join me on Saturday - that would be great! But even if you can't you can help make a difference with a generous contribution now”.

NOW THE WINNERS OF THE LAST RAFFLE

Mary Fages from the Team Fages won the gift card to TGIF and the $50 BP gas gift card
Tammie Rafferty from Cincinnati Children’s Hospital won the gift card to Applebee’s
Winners of the baseball caps:
Potter, Sara from Bozzie’s Gang
Mungro, Tara from GCBees
Colegrove, John from Survivors

Please let me know if you have any questions , thanks again.

Rita

May 10 Day of Event Planning

NAMIWalks for the Mind of America on May 10^th at Sawyer Point – Registration 8 am and the walk starts at 9 am. Parking at Sawyer Point lot and Public Landing are free.

This year the activities will be moved from the Cincinnatus statue and tunnels to the Serpentine wall area and promises to be bigger and better.

When you come from the parking lot, the first area you will see is the Cincinnatus statue and tunnels – there will be signs to guide you. Go through the left or middle tunnel and bear left towards the Serpentine wall and you will see tents ahead. The first series of tents includes, on the far right, the photographer’s tent and on the plaza (cement stage) above the photographer’s tent are two tents marked Registration. Meet your team to the right of the photographer’s tent in the grassy area.

NOTE: If you park at the Public Landing come along the walk by the Serpentine wall to the end of the tents and you will see the photographer and Registration tents.

BEFORE COMING TO THE WALK:

• Communicate your meeting location to all your Walkers
• For Walkers that are not coming to the walk, collect their money before walk day
• Post their name your Team Captain envelope along with the amount they collected (column “C”)
• Put money in Team Captain envelope
• Go to your online Walker page to see if anyone has raised $100

THINGS TO DO WHEN YOU MEET WITH YOUR TEAM

• Collect from your Walkers money that they have receive
• Post their name your Team Captain envelope along with the amount they collected (column “C”)
• Total column “C” at the bottom
• Put money in Team Captain envelope
• Go to the Registration tent to turn in Team Captain envelope
• Pick up tickets for T-Shirts – for each Walker who raised $100 (total online and offline donations) you will be given 1 ticket.
• Distribute tickets to your team members

Note: If you need additional Walker envelopes or Team Captain envelopes, just go to Registration

GET YOUR TEAM PICTURE TAKEN:

• Don’t forget that all pictures will be eligible to be the winner of our poster/brochure team for next year
• Also, the local winners picture will be sent to our National office and be eligible for $50 gift certificate to a local restaurant to the Team Captain
• After all the National walks there will be a winner, one spring walk and one fall walk, and each winner will get $250 and their T-Shirt mount at the National office

I don’t know how to adequately express my deep appreciation for all you are doing for NAMI and the community.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Thanks again, Rita

38 Percent Increase!

You have done an amazing job since last Thursday – your efforts have increased the online donations to $17,423 (38% increase)!

Way to go and congratulations to everyone for the great work.

TOP 10 Walkers in term of dollars raised online:

1. Wassermann, Carson - Movin’ on Mental Health - $765
2. Young, John - Young Walkers for NAMI - $665
3. Fages, Mary - Fages Team - $620
4. Annett, Richard - Rick’s Team - $560
5. Stenz, Jamie - The Children’s Home of Cincinnati - $450
6. Brown, Pat - Pat & Mike’s Team - $435
7. Thompson, Kathryn - Team MHAP - $415
8. Hawkins, John - Walkin’ with Hawkins - $400
9. Rafferty, Tammie - Cincinnati Children’s Hospital - $375
10. Asbury, Helen - Walkin’ with Hawkins - $360

Top 10 Teams in terms of dollars raised online:

1. Cunningham, Amanda - The Children’s Home of Cincinnati - $1750
2. Mathison, Elizabeth - Cincinnati Children’s Hospital - $1295
3. Hawkins, John - Walkin’ with Hawkins - $1015
4. Tlustos, Sarah - UC Psychology - $993
5. Thompson, Kathryn - Team MHAP - $890
6. Wassermann, Carson - Movin’on Mental Health - $870
7. Wright, Diane - GCBees - $830
8. Bischoff, Jamie - Bozzie’s Gang - $760
9. Smith, Mike - Lindner Center of HOPE - $735
10. Young, John - Young Walkers for NAMI - $665

Congratulations to the winners of this week’s raffles:

Carson Wassermann has won the one set of 4 Reds tickets – team name is Movin’ on Mental Health

Team Captains who won NAMIWalks baseball caps are:

1. Nikki Boberg with St. Al’s Steppers – St. Aloysius Orphanage
2. Marcia Butts with Team SBH - Summit Behavioral Health
3. Mary Fages with Fages Team – family team
4. Kirsten Knapp with St. Joe’s – St. Joseph Orphanage
5. Anna Moore with Magellan Health Services
6. Adam Ratliff with Pressley Ridge

We are just 8 days away from the day of the walk and there are some things that all Team Captains need to do to get your Walkers sparked for the final fundraising sprint.

• Update your team on how many Walkers you have and the total raised so far -- compare this to your goal
• Acknowledge your top performers on the team
• Share ways that they can increase their fundraising – recheck your email and address files to make sure they have asked all their friends, family, coworkers and church members and neighbors.
• Share your experience of things that have worked for you and other team members
• Challenge your Walkers to meet or increase their goals
• Remind them why you see this as a very important event that makes a difference in lives

The final raffles will be drawn next Thursday:

• For all Walkers who have $400 or more you will be eligible for a $60 gift card to TGIF and a $50 gift card from BP to fill your tank to go out for dinner.
• For all Walkers who have $250 to $399 you will be eligible for a $50 gift card to Applebee’s
• For all Walkers who have $150 to $249 you will be eligible for one of three NAMIWalks baseball caps

Please contact your Walkers to let them know about the raffles.

Thanks for supporting NAMI!

Rita

WONDERFUL NEWS

WAY TO GO KATHRYN!

Wonderful news from Kathryn Thompson! Kathryn is a Team Captain at Mental Health Access Point (MHAP) and went the extra mile to support NAMI by asking the Good Samaritan Hospital to sponsor the walk and they responded that they would at the $1,000 level. Kathryn, in great appreciation for initiative and efforts I will be sending you a $50 gift card to Montgomery Inn – have fun.

Connie Frick is a Team Captain at the UC Hospital Medical Center and here is her team page message of encouragement to her friends, co-workers and family – thanks Connie:

“Welcome to our hospital's team page. We are simply wanting to put our best foot forward and show our support for NAMI by walking en masse on Saturday, May 10th. NAMI is simply a powerhouse of support and empowerment that has greatly improved the lives of many, many folks who have been impacted by mental illness. Every year of the walk the numbers of walkers and donors has been doubling so let's help history repeat itself. It really is a fun, feel-good event. ANY donation is welcome but not required. Hope to see you all there!! Thanks in advance for your compassion and interest in supporting NAMI. Just click the button above to sign up now.”

TAKE A LOOK AT THE GREAT JOB YOU ARE DOING AS WALKERS AND TEAMS. Keep in mind that all you are doing goes to educate, support, advocate and outreach to all families and the community. Let’s bust the stigma of mental illness.

TOP 10 Walkers in term of dollars raised online:

Annett, Richard Thompson, Kathryn Wassermann, Carson Wright, Diane Brown, Pat Warden, Kelly Johnson, Rita Witherspoon, Stacey Brammer, Sue Newman, Bea

Rick’s Team Team MHAP Movin’ on Mental Health GCBees Pat & Mike’s Team Kell’s Pals Rita’s Ramblers Tender Mercies The Brammer Team Central Clinic

$525 $415 $370 $340 $300 $275 $270 $235 $225 $225

TOP 10 Teams in term of dollars raised online:

Cunningham, Amanda Wright, Diane Thompson, Kathryn Tlustos, Sarah Wassermann, Carson Ratliff, Adam Brown, Pat Newman, Bea Smith, Mike Sloan, Bobbie Johnson, Rita Witherspoon, Stacey

The Children’s Home of Cincinnati GCBees Team MHAP UC Psychology Movin’ on Mental Health Pressley Ridge Pat & Mike’s Team Central Clinic Lindner Center for HOPE Rally for Recovery Rita’s Ramblers Tender Mercies

$1130 $615 $575 $456 $375 $330 $300 $295 $290 $280 $270 $235

Winners of the six NAMIWalks baseball caps:

Kathryn Thompson from Team MHAP

Carson Wassermann Movin’ on Mental Health

Sherrie Thomas-Woodside from MHSRB

Kathleen Mauldin from Pressley Ridge

Jamie Stenz from The Children’s Home of Cincinnati

Sarah Tlustos from UC Psychology

There are 24 more days until the walk and counting!

Have a wonderful weekend, Rita

30 Days and Counting

GOOD DAY TEAM CAPTAINS!

Number of Team added since last week is 5. We have 36 teams online. The big WOW --- the number of Walkers has increased from 111 last week to 156. WAY TO GO Team Captains.

WE ARE NOW AT COUNT DOWN TIME – 30 DAYS AND COUNTING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Number of donations = 142Amount raised = $4,635Number of Walkers who have raised money = 48

TOP 10 Teams in term of Walkers:

GCBees Team SBH The Children's Home of Cincinnati Rally for Recovery Team Lindner Center of HOPE MHRSB Team Team MHAP Cincinnati Children's Hospital Kell’s Pals The Happy Hoofers

26 23 22 10 9 7 7 6 6 6

TOP 10 Walkers in term of dollars raised:

Thompson, Kathryn Wright, Diane Warden, Kelly Johnson, Rita Newman, Bea Thomas-Woodside, Sherrie Annett, Richard Birdsall, Erin Soper, Paul Mauldin, Kathleen

Team MAHP GCBees Kell’s Pals Rita’s Ramblers Central Clinic MHRSB Team Rick’s Team The Children’s Home of Cincinnati The Children’s Home of Cincinnati Pressley Ridge

$415 $340 $275 $270 $200 $170 $150 $150 $145 $145

WINNER OF THE RED’s Tickets is Megan Gooding from Camelot – congratulations!

WINNERS OF THE NAMIWALKS CAPS are:

Stacy Witherspoon from Tender Mercies

Joanna Noonan from NAMI NKY

Bea Newman from Central Clinic

Mike Smith from Lindner Center

With 156 Walkers, we have a lot opportunity to increase the number of Walkers who have raised money.

I want to help you get your Walkers excited about making your team successful. I have 6 NAMIWalks caps and want to give them next week to the top 6 Walkers in terms of dollars collected. Please community this to your Walker and see if we can spark some friendly competition.

If you do not have a team yet, please go to www.nami-hc.org and join the fun!

Rita

VP and Walk Chair

674-1930

Forty New Walkers, Two New Sponsors

Good afternoon to all! Hope you are having a good week. The NAMI walk has received good news in our Corporate Sponsorship – Janssen will be a $2,500 sponsor and AstraZeneca will be a $1,000 sponsor. We need more corporate sponsors – do you know an organization that would like to be a sponsor or have a contact that the NAMI Development Team could call on? Call me at 674-1930.

Number of Team Captains = 31; this is an increase of 5 teams from this time last week.

DON’T SKIP THIS FACT:number of walker last week = 71 and the current number is 111. AN INCREASE OF 40 Walkers – this is tremendous.

TOP 10 Teams in term of Walkers:

The Children's Home of Cincinnati Team SBH GCBees MHRSB Team Team MHAP Rally for Recovery Team Sister Sledge-We are family Cincinnati Children's Hospital St Al’s Steppers Camelot Cares for NAMI

21 12 9 7 6 6 5 4 4 3

If you don’t have a team you can get started by going to www.nami-hc.org.

TEAM CAPTAINS – good job. The more Walkers you have the more successful your team will be. Remember to communicate with your Walkers to see if they have questions or need encouragement. Also, the day of the walk the Walkers who have raised $100 or more will be eligible for a T-Shirt – use this as an incentive for your Walkers.

OK! Now for this week’s raffle winners of 4 Reds tickets each.

Amanda Cunningham and Jody Mootz – congratulations and have a good time.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR NEXT WEEK:

Team Captains who increase their number of walkers by 3 or whose Walkers increase their contributions by 30% will be in a raffle for a set of 4 Reds tickets.

Team Captains who increase their number of walkers by 1 or whose Walkers increase their contributions by 15% will be in a raffle for 1 of 4 NAMIWalks ball caps.

Thanks for all your work and support of NAMI and for being stigma busters.

Rita

Walk Chair