Bicycles for Bipolar 2009
Posted in Events on September 1, 2009
We are proud to be involved with this event for the fourth year. This event will help those living with mental illness, as well as bring in needed funds for our chapter.
Why mental illness you might ask?
- Mental illness affects1 in 4 families. No one talks about it, so you don’t realize how commonit really is. At the chapter meeting in September, right at 25% of theattendees raised their hands when asked if they or a family member hada mental illness.
- At least 5 pastor present GATR board members are living with mental illness
- GATR and other SORBAChapters can been seen as doing something different, our own uniqueway of giving back to the community. We can demonstrate community leadershipby taking on this initiative.
- GATR gets 25% ofthe proceeds.
Why support NAMI
- The National Allianceon Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nations largest grassroots organizationproviding support groups, education classes, and advocacy for peopleliving with mental illness.
- The Veterans Administration, in recognition of the strengths of NAMI’s programs, has asked NAMIto provide its support groups and education classes for all returningsoldiers and their families
- NAMI trains lawenforcement officers to recognize, handle, and de-escalation situationsinvolving people having an mental health crisis, reducing officer injuryand ‘use of force’ incidents.
- The Gwinnett Chapter,NAMI Gwinnett, provides these programs in our local community.
How can GATR participate? What do I do?
- Essentially a groupride on a Saturday when most of us will be at the park anyway
- Be a rider
- Print out the registrationform, fill it out, and mail it in, or turn it in at the Festival
- Print out the PledgeCard.
- Tell your family,friends, coworkers, anyone, that you support NAMI and the work theydo in the community. Youare raising awareness.
- Ask them to supportyou by donating. No donation is too small or too big.
- Ask someone elseto be a rider too. Youare raising funds
- Print out severalregistration forms and give them to other riders you pass on the trail.
- Its great way tomeet new riders, and show that GATR is involved on the trails and inthe community.
- Ask them to joinGATR in supporting NAMI, and to just to simply join GATR. (Have yourGATR cards with you as well)
- On event day, turnin your money, registration form at the NAMI Gwinnet Tent, and be apart of the group ride at 11. If you are busy volunteering somewhere,that’s okay, ride later, but still participate in the awareness andfundraising effort.
With your help, we can raise awareness and funds for NAMI to continue its work in our community. If 20 riders can get at least 10 people they know to donate $50, that would be $10,000. In addition to helping NAMI financially and with mental health awareness, we will have also raised $2500 for our Chapter.
Lets get behind this effort. I know the time is short, but its pretty simple to do. If you have any questions, contact me or Eric Spencer at 404-543-2795
Thanks for your participation in GATR’s community efforts.
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