Thank you to each of you who joined us at last week's club meeting! We welcomed a few visiting Rotarians (Barbara, Becky, and Bill) and also welcomed Rotarian John Shelton, who is in the process of transferring into our club! If John's name sounds familiar, it should – John was a guest speaker at a meeting earlier this year as he shared his experiences as a pilot on the P3 sub hunter for the U.S. Navy!
Our guest speaker for last week's meeting was Theresa Reyes-Cummings, Deputy Director at The Community Mental Health Fund. Theresa talked about how our own mental health affects each of us, every minute of every day. She shared that our mental health "affects how we think, feel, and act, and also helps determine how we handle stress, relate to others, and make healthy choices." Some mental health statistics she shared with us include:
• 20% of U.S. adults experience mental illness each year;
• 1 in 6 youth aged 6-17 experience a mental health disorder each year;
• Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among people aged 10-14 years and the 3rd leading cause of death among people aged 15-24. 😢
The good news is help is available! Mental Health First Aid teaches people how to identify and respond to mental illnesses. Also, in July 2022, the new 988 mental health helpline started in Kansas! Like 911, 988 is a quick, easy-to-remember number that provides a direct connection to trained support. Whether you are calling for yourself or a loved one, 988 can help! Theresa also shared these local mental health resources as well:
