President’s Message for October 2023

A few years ago, at our annual meeting, I surprised our newsletter editor Becky Hadden by honoring her with a fictitious Pulitzer Prize. I substituted a few words in the language written on the medal itself to praise her “For the most heartfelt, helpful, meritorious public service rendered by any mental health newspaper during the year 2020.” She deserved the applause. Her influence and work on The Bridge extended over more than a decade, and she will step down at the end of this year. Becky’s approach to the newsletter is personal. She isn’t just reporting collected facts from other organizations, she touches readers with her thoughtful selections. We thank her for her great service to our affiliate. 

That opens an opportunity for a new face to connect with our affiliate members and the hundreds of stakeholders who follow our efforts through The Bridge. Our editor is a writer but also a reader of news shared by other mental health support organizations. That helps us collect information about goings on within our affiliate geography and the state. As empathy is vital to NAMI’s mission, our editor has experience living with a mental health condition or supporting someone who does. The newsletter is published on the first Wednesday of the month, except in July and August, so work efforts heighten during the week prior. We post the articles on the easy to learn Squarespace software we use for our website.

This is the season we encourage folks to consider becoming a member of our affiliate board. Those who join us for a meeting or work with us on community mental health committees often comment on how knowledgeable we are about the behavioral health care system and how committed we are to representing our constituents. Any NAMI supporter can fill that role. Your personal experience and desire to help is all that’s needed. We meet via Zoom on the second Monday evening of the month. New board members will be announced in January.

Jennie Payne is a trusted long-term member of our board and currently serves as treasurer. Our affiliate bylaws, which fall under our structure as an official 501c3 nonprofit organization, dictate that we replace our treasurer every six years. It is an oft recommended safeguard to rotate those in fiduciary positions. Jennie’s tenure as treasurer runs through 2024, so we need to start training another detail-oriented volunteer to ease into the role. Treasurers do our bookkeeping, watch over our bank account and bills, and reimburse volunteers for expenses. At our board meetings, the treasurer offers up a monthly Treasurer’s report outlining our expenditures and financial position.

Thanks to all our amazing volunteers who share their experiences and support others. Please reach out to us at nami.cmsx@gmail.com to discuss your potential interest is serving in one of these roles.

Our October 10th Family to Family class is still accepting students. Click the button below for registration details.

Enjoy this season of change and check out our annual fall spectacle, the “Stand Up to Stigma” Scarecrow Contest in Acton. Which one is your favorite?