Hopatcong Woman’s Club Hosts Speaker on NAMI

HOPATCONG, NJ – The Hopatcong Woman’s Club met on Wednesday, September 17 for the first general meeting of the season at the Black River Barn. The meeting was followed followed by a guest speaker, Marjorie Strohsahl, who shared information on our Special State Project for the next two years, NAMI.

NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness) is supported locally by both NAMI New Jersey, as well an NAMI Sussex County (NAMI.Sussex@yahoo.com, www.nami-sussex-nj.org). The focus of our efforts will be education and all monies raised over the course of the two years will be used to support the Educational Programs, Free Courses, and Support Groups. Subjects of interest include Depression, Anxiety, Bipolar Disorder and all related mental illness.

The education we will support include:

• Family-to Family, for caregivers
• Veterans’ Family-to-Family, for families of veterans
• NAMI Basics, for young families with a mentally ill child or adolescent
• Every Mind Matters, a mental health education program for students in grades 5-12
• Educating the Educators, a program for teachers
• Law Enforcement Education, for police in recognizing and intervening in psychiatric emergencies
• Community Education, to promote accurate information about mental illness and eliminate the stigma and
• In Our Own Voice, a presentation by individuals who live with mental illness

In 1990, the US Congress established the first full week of October as Mental Illness Awareness Week (October 5^th -11^th, 2014) in recognition or NAMI’s efforts to raise mental illness awareness. MIAW coincides with the National Day of Prayer for Mental Illness Recovery and Understanding (October 8^th) and National Depression Screening Day (October 10^th). However, our efforts will be round-the-clock for the next two years, so please let us know if this organization can help you or a loved one, or if you would like to get involved or contribute in any way.

Recently Held Fundraisers

Thanks to all who supported our two most recent fundraising activities! Chico’s in Denville allowed us to shop privately during off-hours, gave us discounts (10%!) and also donated a % toward our causes. We will certainly do this again, stay tuned!

Separately, Cinders Woodfire Grill of Mine Hill hosted a Food & Wine Pairing Event which we will also want to do again, due to the extravagant food selection and five course meal…what a bargain! Plus, we raised funds toward our causes.

Upcoming, we will have a week-long event at Frogmore Country Elegance Shop in Andover. From Nov. 10-15 (Hours: Monday – Wednesday 10:00am – 6:00pm, Thursday & Friday 10:00am – 8:00pm, Saturday 10:00am – 6:00pm) all purchases identified by shoppers as Hopatcong Woman’s Club-related will result in a percentage of the total sales going toward our charities.

Food Collection

Food Banks are in continuous need of non-perishable food items and the Women’s Club has five Hopatcong locations at which donations are currently being accepted: The Hopatcong Post Office, Borough Hall, Skylands Medical Group, The Medicine Shoppe, and Santander Bank (no glass please). We would like to thank the local community for the food that has been collected in past years, and look forward to providing for those in need throughout the upcoming Holiday season through the West Side Methodist Church.

Hopatcong Women’s Club General Information

The Hopatcong Woman’s Club meets on the third Wednesday of each month at the Hopatcong Senior Center on Lakeside Blvd. at 10:30am, followed by a program of interest.

All local women looking to form new friendships and to find a special niche or pet project of interest to them are encouraged to contact Membership Chairperson Selma Reichert at 973-770-4989. To learn more about the NJSFWC (New Jersey State Federation of Women’s Clubs), visit the Federation website at www.njsfwc.org and to learn more about the GFWC (General Federation of Women’s Clubs), visit www.gfwc.org .

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