NAMI to offer course

MARQUETTE — Family members of individuals diagnosed with a mental illness may greatly benefit from a 12-week “Family to Family” education course to be offered by National Alliance on Mental Illness-Alger/Marquette.

The 12-week series of classes is free and confidential. Classes will be held Sept. 18 to Dec. 4 from 6-8:30 p.m. at 129 W. Baraga Ave., Marquette.

The course will cover a broad range of topics, including information about schizophrenia, mood disorders (bipolar disorder and major depression), panic disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder and PTSD.

This will be the 14th time this class has been offered in our area and is presented by trained educators.To date more than 200,000 family members in 48 states across the country have completed the course.

The course is designed specifically for parents, siblings, spouses, teenage and adult children, significant others and friends of people with a mental illness. This course also helps people understand that this is an illness and not something they can just “deal with it, shape up” as most times they just have no control over their actions.

Responses from previous family members who took the class are: “I feel the course has saved my family”, “I no longer blame myself for my child’s illness.” “This course has given me a broader understanding of the diagnosis and more comfort in speaking about this to others.”

With the tragedies of well-known public figures dealing with depression, we feel now more than ever the timing of this class is so important for families to learn more about the types of mental illnesses.

Call to register for the classes by Tuesday, However, new class members will be accepted until Sept. 25. For further information or to register, contact Louise Wilcox at 906-235-0231, or Cindy Bertucci at 906-360-7107.

U.P. Arts Alliance event on tap

MUNISING — At 2 p.m. Tuesday, the Upper Peninsula Arts Alliance local representatives will be having an open meeting to discuss Upper Peninsula and Munising/Alger County initiatives.

The public is invited to the Falling Rock Cafe & Bookstore in Munising for coffee, conversation and ideas for cultural and arts initiatives across the U.P.

IHS Class of ’57 to meet

ISHPEMING — The Ishpeming High School Class of 1957 will meet at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday at the Jasper Inn for lunch.

For information call 906-475-7288.