Happy Labor Day!

The National NAMIWalks Team wishes you a safe and happy Labor Day! We hope you enjoy time with your loved ones over the holiday weekend!

Putting FUN in FUNdraising!

As a Team Captain and/or walker have you thought about FUN ways to build Teams and/or to raise funds this year? Of course you can ask someone to join your Team and/or donate to you the traditional ways – face-to-face, email, over the phone, online social networks. However, have you thought about using your talents for out of the box ways to engage people?

Here are some FUN ideas that you can do as an individual walker or as a Walk Team:

• Rock On! If you know musicians, ask them to perform a benefit concert at a backyard BBQ, block party, or local club. The admission ticket is a check made payable to NAMIWalks.

• Birthday: In lieu of a gift for your birthday, ask your friends and family to make a donation to NAMIWalks through your personal NAMIWalks website.

• Gym: Ask your gym if you, or they, can teach an aerobics, yoga, or spinning class as a benefit to NAMIWalks.

• House Party: Host a house party for friends, family, co-workers, and neighbors. Share your experience with NAMIWalks and your reasons for walking. Ask them to join your Team.

• Make holiday ornaments: Make special ornaments and sell them for donations.

• Mow-a-thon: Hold a neighborhood mow-a-thon weekend where you and your family will mow everyone’s lawn for a minimum donation.

• Runner: Offer to be a friend’s errand runner or personal assistant for a day, in exchange for a substantial donation.

• Garden Tour: Hold a garden tour at your home or at a local historical home.

Building Teams and raising funds should be an exciting experience! Now that you've read these ideas, I hope you will use one or think of something creative and inventive that you and/or your Team will do!!!

And the Winner of the "Best Spring NAMIWalk Photo Contest" is...

The NAMIWalks Team is excited to announce that Christina Antos won the "Best Spring NAMIWalk Photo Contest"! Her picture received 92 "Likes" on the NAMIWalks' Facebook page! Congratulations Christina!!! We also want to thank all the individuals who submitted wonderful pictures!