I've gotten involved

I joined the Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services Alive and Running 5K committee several months ago. It was in fulfillment of a promise I made to myself - to start volunteering again once my memoir, Leaving the Hall Light On, was published and on the market. I even wrote about my need to get involved in a charity again in my book.

This committe is a great place to start. It gets me more acquainted with all the services Didi Hirsch provides to prevent suicide and erase the stigma of mental illness, and it's a finite assignment. The event takes place on September 25, and then the need to meet stops. Plus, I've participated in this event for the last several years since my son Paul died.


I've attended several meetings so far - although I feel like I'm not making a significant difference yet. But there's still time. I've begun to ask others to enroll in the event via emails. and I'll ask several local businesses related to fitness and 5 and 10K walk/run events to display information cards at their shops.  I'll bombard my social networks with information as well.


Here's the link to information about the event and how to enroll. 


http://events.didihirsch.org/site/PageServer


If you decide to signup, please join Team Lelewer. Stan is my dear friend from my hometown of Glencoe, IL. He also lost a son to suicide. 

By the way, there's an opportunity to display a photo at the event of any of your family or friends who are suicide victims. My son Paul's photo will be on the banner again this year. So please sign up and join me. I'll be there.

Get Ready for a Great Event That Supports an Excellent Cause - 

Suicide Prevention

WOW blog tour stop No. 15

My host at The Cottage Bookshelf had computer problems last month so she had to delay posting my WOW guest blog piece until today. But I got a bonus! Kimberly Scott, the blog owner, posted a wonderful review of my memoir, Leaving the Hall Light On, yesterday.


Click here to read the review: 


http://thecottagebookshelf.blogspot.com/2011/07/book-review-leaving-hall-light-on.html


Today's post provides a list of support services for people dealing with mental illness and its sometimes aftermath - suicide.  


http://thecottagebookshelf.blogspot.com/


And if you would like to know more about those subjects, please see my blog posts here last December, 2010. I profiled a different support service organization almost every day that month in memory of Paul's December 31st birthday. The internet, of course, will have many more organizations listed.