"Southwest Virginia Walk Into May National Mental Health Month"

On Friday, April 30, 2004 over 250 consumers, family members, professional people and advocates gathered at Emory & Henry College for the first ever “Walk Into Mental Health Month” kickoff walk. The event was hosted by the college and was sponsored by the Mental Health Creative Ideas Committee.  

The walk was conceived as a way to raise awareness about mental health issues and timed to coincide with the beginning of National Mental Health Month. The local event was just one of thousands of walks across the country where “tens of thousands of Americans will take to the streets…to raise public awareness that recovery from mental illnesses is possible” says the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill. 

The walk highlights included a speaker from a regional family support organization, and Moe Armstrong, a consumer who has been a nationally prominent advocate on behalf of fellow mental health consumers. Armstrong encouraged his fellow mental health care recipients to continue to strive for wellness and recovery through activity and personal responsibility and education about their care.  

The event culminated with all the attendees walking to raise awareness and build support for mental health communities. Many participants carried signs touting slogans such as “Taking strides toward the future”, “Mental Health….face it!” and “Recovery is a journey, not a destination”.  

Participants came from around the Southwest Virginia region from Roanoke to Bristol and the coalfield counties of the far southwest. Event organizers were very pleased with the turnout, despite rainy skies. “The consumers and family members have really shown they care about mental health awareness by making the effort to come and walk today” said Judy Salyer, Director of the Southwest Virginia Consumer & Family Project. After the walk everyone picnicked on the grounds at the college and shared in the fellowship of community. 

For information about national walk events, please visit the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill web site at www.NAMI.org