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August/September 2010 NAMI Queens/Nassau PATHways Page 10 What’s It All About, Alfie? By LARRY KENNY, 2nd Vice President It is 7:45a.m. Sunday, Father’s Day, and I am driving east on Southern State Parkway to the cemetery to place a single rose on the graves of my father and father-in-law, both of whom passed on too young. It is an absolutely beautiful day, sunny with a bright blue sky and a slight wind. The convertible is moving effortlessly at 60mph, the top is down and the roar of the wind feels good. Both my father and Mary’s father passed on before our son, Chris, developed his severe mental illness. They were not here to see our daughter, Judy, get married, have two beautiful daughters, and develop severe Lymes disease. I often wonder what advice they would have given us. Nothing in my education and training prepared me to be the ongoing father that I must be. I just do the best that I can, but I do ask, “Why me?” There is no definite answer. It is life; you meet the challenge head on; you don’t complain; you just do your best. What’s it all about, Alfie? Only God knows, and I wish he would let me know his game plan for my children. This article began in my mind as I was driving to the cemetery and I wanted to dismiss it from my mind, but it would not go away. This article is an expression of compassion and concern for those who suffer from chronic illness. In conclusion, my deeply religious neighbor said this in regard to Judy and Christopher’s illnesses, “You and Mary will go straight to heaven when you pass on for all that you are doing.” My answer to this was thank you, but I don’t want to go straight to heaven; I want to stop in at least six Irish bars on the way. What’s it all about, Alife? It’s all about people belonging to each other. It’s all about love and compassion. It’s all about life. To Janet Susin: Thank you for putting my “talks” into the newsletter. Since then, I gave two additional talks at one location in Jamaica at PSCH and at (what was Schneider Children’s Hospital) Cohen’s Children’s Hospital—to their inpatient medical social workers. Both of these were about NAMI Queens/Nassau. I also attended one of three sessions of Camp Isabella Friedman with mentally ill adults and held a session with both patients and staff about NAMI and how camp originated through NAMI Queens/Nassau. From, Rosalie Weiner Support Group Leader NAMI Queens/Nassau gratefully acknowledges the following donations: Jerry & Florence Fox in memory of Lizzie Parker Rena & Steven Klosk in memory of Judy Shapiro Newdorf Lorraine & Eli Kaplan in memory of Glenn Roberts Lorraine & Eli Kaplan in memory of Kitty Kulesza Nancy Goldfarb in memory of Christina Kulesza Lorraine & Eli in memory of Lawrence Newdorf’s mother Lorraine & Eli Kaplan in memory of Florence Fox’s niece Judy Rosalie Weiner in memory of Karen Schwartzman Arnold & Pearl Gould in memory of Jerome Kaleko In memory of Lawrence Weinstein: Rosalie Weiner; Patricia Gmerek; Doris Brill; Pat Rella; Eleanor & Mike Gosset; Magdalena Relyea In honor of Heide & Tony Magosi’s 50th Anniversary Elke & Arthur Plaggemeier; Elfriede Sepssey; Annemarie Seeliger; Mr. & Mrs. Friedrich Klaar; Cathy Johnson; Mary Lou & Jack Wohlhieter General Donations: Andrew Ojeda; Franz Loderer; Elissa Silverman The Friendship Network gratefully acknowledges the following donations: Sondra Cohen in memory of Hilda Dubinsky Joan & Stuart Kaufman in honor of Zachary Goldstein’s Bar Mitzvah Buddy Cohen & Barbara Garner in honor of Zach Goldstein’s Bar Mitzvah Alice & Nancy with get well wishes to Al Chwick Esther Cohen in memory of Bryna Tandertnick’s daughter, Judy Alice & nancy in memory of Andrew Chwick’s mother Alice & Nancy in memory of Mary Lenihan’s mother Julie Rubinstein Bronder in honor of the Friendship Newtork
August/September 2010 NAMI Queens/Nassau PATHways Page 11 NAMI Queens/Nassau Receives $100,000 Grant for Police Training NAMI Queens/Nassau gratefully acknowledges receipt of a $100,000 grant from the Large Grants Program of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Shelter Rock in Manhasset, NY. It will be used to train members of the Lynbrook police department in the Memphis Model of Crisis Intervention Training (CIT), an intensive 40 hour training that is widely used in other states to prevent psychiatric crises from spiraling out of control, but has not yet taken hold in New York State. Far too many mentally ill individuals end up in prison rather than in psychiatric hospitals because the police are unable to deescalate a sensitive situation. In the most tragic circumstances a law enforcement encounter with a person with mental illness leads to violence, resulting in injury or death to officers, the individual himself or even innocent bystanders. We greatly appreciate the opportunity to bring CIT to Long Island and hope it will serve as a model for other local police departments. We are especially indebted to the caring members * * * New Support Group Forming * * * For Families Whose Loved Ones Lack Insight Into Their Mental Illness Getting a loved one to accept treatment can be difficult under any circumstances but it is a special challenge for those who do not recognize that they’re ill. Learn how to overcome this obstacle and share coping strategies with others who truly understand what you’re going through. Led by Linda Manzo, parent and teacher, the evening support group will begin in August on Thursdays at 7:30 in the NAMI office. To sign-up, email namiqn@aol.com or call (516) 326-0797 or (718) 347-7284. of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, who chose mental health as a priority area for their generous grants program and gave us the opportunity to apply for this significant grant. Seeking Volunteers for CIT Advisory Panel Have you or a loved one ever had a run in with the police that ended badly? Or a good experience when a crisis was successfully averted by police action? We’re looking for individuals who have personal experience with the police, both bad and good — family members and consumers — to serve on an advisory panel for our grant. Interested? Contact Maureen or Cheryl at (516) 326-0797 or (718) 347- 7284. NAMI Family to Family This education program is a free 12-week course for family caregivers of individuals with a severe mental illness. The course is taught by trained family members. Over 115,000 families have graduated from this national program. For more information about the class go to www.nami.org/familytofamily. Register today: Classes will begin in the Fall and will be held at Zucker Hillside, Queens Hospital Center, Greater Allen AME Cathedral, and Adelphi University. Call Charlotte Driver at (516) 385-1400 to register or for more information..
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