Thursday, April 14, 2011

My NAMI San Diego Walk



This is video I shot last year. I'm walking again on Saturday, with about 3,000 others. I'm bringing my didgeridoo and hope to be able to round up some drummers. I can't emphasize enough the positive experience of walking for NAMI, and the video makes my case.

This summer NAMI San Diego will be honored by NAMI national as the local affiliate of the year. We're out there in the community, we're there in small groups, we're there one-on-one. Our people on every level are an inspiration, employees and volunteers. Many first came to NAMI San Diego in a state of extreme distress, then stayed in all kinds of capacities, helping out any which way they could, with the kind of determination and drive and compassion that words do no justice to.

I'm proud to be serving with them and walking with them.

We're walking to send the world a message and to raise money. Even when we are offering a free service run by volunteers, money is involved. The second someone switches on the lights, money is involved. Lights switch on. More money. More lights, points of lights. Lights, illumination. Money-money-money.

We want to switch on more lights. You can help by going to my Walk Page and making a donation.

Better, yet. Join me on the Walk. One of my readers from Arizona contacted me to say he'll be in San Diego this weekend and wants to walk with me. I can't begin to tell you how this made my day. But you can walk with me in spirit. Some of my readers are involved in their own local NAMI Walks, from places such as Iowa and Connecticut, and I'm there in spirit with them as well. Connections, community, healing.

This is about all of us. Physically apart, perhaps, but together - together - big time.

6 comments:

Tony Previte said...

See you Saturday John!

John McManamy said...

Hey, Tony - and find a drum! :)

Smitty said...

Hope the walk is going well, John. And may you connect with more of your readers... I am a bit too far away here... in Georgia...

Louise said...

Congrats on the recognition from NAMI national! You guys totally deserve it. Except for Family to Family programs, we barely know NAMI exists here in L.A., I'm sad to say.

Louise said...

Congrats on the recognition from NAMI national! You guys totally deserve it. Except for our numerous Family to Family programs, we barely know NAMI exists here in L.A. It's a shame.

John McManamy said...

Hey, Louise. I'm not exaggerating when I say we've got an extraordinary bunch of volunteers and staff. These are people with fire in the belly who make things happen.

I know there's good people up in LA - I've met a bunch of them - but I think there are something like 14 different NAMI's there, with a lot of different mindsets and agendas. There are advantages to this, but I see clear advantages to the way we do things in San Diego.

NAMI SD owes everything to an earlier generation of visionaries. Anything I do for NAMI SD, I feel their presence. I don't want to let them down.