CONTRIBUTED

George and Carole Reynolds of Seven Lakes, formerly of New York, recently received the Bob Best award given by the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Moore County, which recognizes outstanding service to the organization.

Since arriving here and joining the affiliate three short years ago, both have worked tirelessly to improve and/or initiate the many successes of the local chapter and "are truly part of the backbone of NAMI-MC," according to Judith Krall, immediate past president.

Carole volunteered to be the treasurer, and has taken the volunteer position to a new and sophisticated level.

"She keeps separate track of the affiliate's budget and its annual Pathway to Awareness Weekend monies in such detail that no board member ever has any questions, and auditors are thrilled with its completeness, despite the complexity involved," says Krall.

George immediately volunteered to be the publicity director for both the affiliate's activities and its first Pathway to Awareness Weekend, which hosted actress Patty Duke. His publicity efforts throughout the Sandhills created an overflow crowd of 150 folks who had to be turned away that night. He has continued the PR work through the past years and is one of the major reasons Moore Countians know about NAMI-MC and its mission.

George initiated the NAMI-MC effort for Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) training in Moore County and garnered the appropriate community partners (Sheriff's department, Sandhills Center, SCC, and FirstHealth) to host the first class in April this year. He remains NAMI-MC's rep and will co-host three more classes by the end of 2008, because of the success of the first one.

"I don't know what our affiliate and Pathway to Awareness Weekend Committee would do without Carole and George," says Marianne Kernan, current president. "They're an integral part of the core team and so richly deserve this award."

The Bob Best award was named for the founder of the Moore County chapter, who worked diligently to educate and support the families. NAMI members still talk fondly of the Bests, who made such an impact on their lives and, therefore, the board decided four years ago to honor Best.

Past recipients are Hazel Elmore, Dave Davies, Marianne Kernan, and Ellen Airs, who have family members with mental illness.

NAMI-MC's purpose is to support families and friends of the mentally ill, educate the public, promote helpful legislation, and advocate for those who suffer with mental illness. NAMI-MC meetings are open to all families and friends of those with a brain disease, who need more information on an illness, and/or who need support in dealing with the symptoms. Expert speakers discuss medical and therapeutic advances in the field.

NAMI-MC has its own library of books and videos on mental illness that members can check out.

The meetings are held monthly at 7 p.m. on the first Monday at the Conference Center of Moore Regional Hospital.

Support meetings immediately follow the educational meeting, and also occur independently on the third Monday of each month at the same room.

"Everyone is welcome to come and learn more," says Kernan.

For more details, call NAMI-MC at 295-1053.