National Alliance for the Mentally Ill -- WE CARE

National Alliance for the Mentally Ill -- WE CARE

The Augusta County Chapter of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill, known as WE CARE will meet on June 19, 2007, and every 3rd Tuesday of the month. The organization will meet in Central United Methodist Church, corner of Lewis and Beverly Street in Staunton at 6:30 p.m. Guest Speaker: Randy Urgo, Human rights advocate for the DMHMRSAS Office of Human Rights since November 1992. He earned a BS degree in Special Education from East Carolina University in 1981 and a law degree from South Carolina Law School in 1985. Parking is available in the rear of the church in the Wilson Lot, corner of Lewis and Frederick St. All consumers as well as concerned parents, siblings, spouses, and friends who care about the quality of life and the recovery of persons with a serious mental illness are invited. There is no charge.

WE CARE NAMI works to promote and provide support and advocacy by offering mutual encouragement through a sharing of problems and coping strategies and helping individuals overcome feelings of guilt, isolation, and frustration. Families, friends, and those who have a mental illness learn about the causes of mental illness, how to recognize acute and chronic symptoms, and current treatments. Education is key in the recovery process and for the public to help them overcome myths and fears and stigma. The more the public knows about mental illness, the more doors and opportunities become available for those who have a mental illness.

Mental Illness makes it difficult for people to cope with their emotions or to think clearly. It can cause them to behave in unusual or inappropriate ways and can bring tremendous stress and suffering to them and their families. If you or someone you know is suffering from mental illness, it is important to realize you are not alone.

Mental Illnesses can affect persons of any age—children, adolescents, adults and the elderly—and they can occur in ANY family. Mental illnesses afflict millions of people in the United States, yet continue to be medically under served, scientifically under researched and widely misunderstood.

Severe mental illness touches one in every five families. In Virginia, more than 260,000 adults and at least 75,000 children experience symptoms of serious emotional disturbances or brain disorders. Yet despite these statistics, there remains an unfortunate stigma surrounding mental illness.

When someone in a family has mental illness, most often it is family members who are the primary caregiver. In fact, more than 48% of all adults with serious and persistent mental illness in Virginia who receive services from the public mental health system live with their families. Therefore it is of vital importance to provide these families with accessible resources for leading-edge quality care and continued support.

At the national level, NAMI works to promote and provide research for new treatments and prevention, does advocacy at all levels of government ensuring funding for quality community and institutional services, and networks by sharing information through conferences and newsletters and promotes changes of common interest throughout the nation.

Wayne Theatre Alliance to joining the Apple Days festivities

The Wayne Theatre Alliance will be joining the Apple Days festivities on Oct. 6 and Oct. 7.
The Wayne Theatre's booth will include prints by the Waynesboro-based Mark Miller Photography and Kevin Blackburn Photography. This is the first opportunity to purchase these prints which were taken recently of the theatre. This will be a wonderful chance to own a piece of Waynesboro's history with images of the theatre after it closed but before construction began this Fall.
In addition to selling the prints by Blackburn and Miller, the Wayne Theatre will also have details on the recent P. Buckley Moss print of the Wayne Theatre and have the print on display.
Wayne Theatre volunteers will also be distributing information about the project including buttons, a newsletter, information on Third Fridays and the Nov. 2 event featuring Wanda and the White Boys and more.
"This is a great opportunity for the community to learn more about the Wayne Theatre project," said Clair Myers, executive director of the Alliance.
Apple Days takes place in Willow Oak Plaza on Broad Street in Waynesboro. Hours are Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m.
For more information on the prints by Blackburn and Miller, or on the P. Buckley Moss Print, contact the Wayne Theatre office at (540) 943-9999. For more information on the project, visit http://www.waynetheatre.org/

Photos are the copy right of Kevin Blackburn Photography

Third Fridays goes high energy

For immediate release The Third Fridays free concert series returns Sept. 21 to Waynesboro with high energy, acoustic rock - with a social conscience. Molimo will take center stage from 6:30-8 p.m. in the former Radio Shack Building in Willow Oak Plaza on Broad Street in Waynesboro. Molimo is made up of artists Jim McAvoy, Kevin Crowe, RW Smith and Tom Serrano.

"Molimo is a nomadic ritual in which music is used to heal a group that feels themselves to be out of balance with nature. It also describes the sacred instrument played in the ritual. The mythical white elephant embodies the spirit of Molimo - the possibility of redemption, the return of "soul." In this spirit, we play songs that call us to engagement to community - to stand against the madness......stand with us!"

The Artisans Center of Virginia will once again host the event and will feature extended hours for shoppers who also attend the free concert. The Artisans Center of Virginia is a non-profit, visual arts organization represented Virginia crafts through exhibition, education and retail opportunities.

The Third Fridays concert series is presented by the Waynesboro Cultural Commission, Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc., and the Wayne Theatre Alliance.

For more information on the Third Fridays event, call (540) 943-9999.

Waynsboro Chili

Northern Virginia leg of the Billionaire

For immediate release -

The New Dominion, Everything Virginia, a news portal run by Augusta Free Press Publishing, is sponsoring the Northern Virginia leg of the Billionaire in Training 2007 World Seminar Tour with Brad Sugars, founder of ActionCoach. Sugars will change the way you think about money, wealth, business and property forever. The seminar will be held Sept. 25 from 4-7 p.m. at the Sheraton Premier at Tyson's Corner in Vienna, Va.
As a sponsor, The New Dominion has 50 complimentary tickets available (a $69.95 value) on a first-come, first-serve basis. To claim your complimentary ticket, go to www.billionaireintraining.net/register.php Your registration code is USSP10.
For more information, contact Crystal Graham at the Augusta Free Press at (540) 949-6574 or www.thenewdominion.com, or contact local ActionCoach Bill Gilliland at (540) 290-2389.

August Third Fridays to feature Eli Cook and Darrell Rose

WHEN: Aug. 17, 6:30-8 p.m.
WHERE: Willow Oak Plaza, Waynesboro

Eli Cook released his debut CD on June 5 titled Miss Blues'es Child by Valley Entertainment. The CD paid homage to traditional delta blues and heroes such as Mississippi John Hurt and Robert Johnson. Cook is making a name for himself with his gritty vocals and old-style music, and with his CD, which was recorded live and unedited in the studio, and includes four original blues-based songs. Cook opened for B.B. King with African percussionist Darrell Rose at D.C.'s Kennedy Center Millenium Stage and opened again for King solo at the Paramount Theatre in Charlottesville in February. Together, Cook and Rose bring a special brand of African Rhythm and American Blues to the stage.
The August Third Fridays event is hosted by The Artisans Center of Virginia. The center, located in the Willow Oak Shopping Center at 801 West Broad Street, will feature extended hours. The featured artisans are Janice Arone and Joseph Sheridan, artists in ceramics and wood furniture. The Capital Area Woodturners will also have an exhibit.
The Third Fridays free concert series is presented by the Waynesboro Cultural Commission, Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc., and the Wayne Theatre Alliance.

For more information on the Third Fridays event, call (540) 943-9999 or visit www.waynetheatre.org.
For more information on Eli Cook, visit www.elicook.com.

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Photos available at www.elicook.com.
Flier is attached - please distribute as you see fit.
Also check out http://thenewdominion.com/?p=483 for an article from earlier this year!

WOMANLESS "BEAUTY" CONTEST FUNDRAISER by EMPLOYEES of VECTOR INDUSTRIES

WOMANLESS "BEAUTY" CONTEST FUNDRAISER by EMPLOYEES of VECTOR INDUSTRIES



Saturday, August 11, at Waynesboro High School the employees of Vector Industries are promoting a Womanless "Beauty" Contest and silent auction fundraiser. The facilities at Vector, especially the restrooms and cafeteria, are in dire need of upgrading and the employees have generated this fun event as their main fundraiser.



Male contestants from Augusta Free Press, McCoy Furniture, McKee Foods, NTELOS, Polymer Group (PGI), Waynesboro Police Department, Vector Industries and others will compete for this coveted beauty title. The silent auction includes desirable opportunities from Beverage Tractor, Bruce Dillenger, Monro Muffler, Granny's Attic Flowers & Gifts, Grand Piano, Martin's Food Market, McCoy Furniture, Bert Smith, South River, Barbara Stratton, Tru-Art Gallery, Waynesboro Landscape & Garden Center, Wal-Mart of Waynesboro, and the YMCA of Waynesboro. Other sponsoring businesses include Edward Jones - Taysha Patterson, M.I.T.S. Corporation of Virginia, Parker Compound Bows, Alcoa Flexible Packaging, MoveMasters, Tom Brown Realtor, Planters Bank & Trust, REO Distribution, Stuarts Draft Family Pharmacy, Crossroads Graphics & Design, On The Lamb Yarns and Re/Max Advantage - Art and Brenda Canning. The noble and highly respected judges are Charlie Beverage, Jr. of Beverage Tractor, Mabel Cash of Hampton Inn, Linda Gail Johnson of AMC, and Tom Reynolds - Waynesboro Mayor. Contact Vector Industries at (540)-943-8444 if you or your companies are interested in participating or sponsoring.



Tickets are $10 in advance or $12 at the door. Advance tickets are available at Tim Spears Music City, Crossroads CD's and Tapes in both Staunton and Waynesboro, and Vector Industries. The silent auction begins at 6:30 pm with the "Beauty" Contest starting at 7:30.



Vector Industries employs over 105 people and is a not for profit business providing employment opportunities mainly for people with disabilities to enable them to reach their potential as productive citizens.