By Jana Cronin

The NAMI DuPage Annual meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 15th at 6:30 pm, at the Wheaton Park District, Community Center, Arrowhead Room 230, 1777 S. Blanchard Road, Wheaton, 60189. Guest Speaker Sherri Schneider, Founder Family Benefits Solutions Inc, will be talking about benefit assistance programs.

This is also the time when our membership will elect new members to the Board of Directors.

I am pleased to say that our current Treasurer, Steve Flechter, will be returning for a second 3-year term on the Board. Steve is an active Board member, serving as Treasurer and Finance committee chairman as well as donating time and treasure to our organization. Steve is retired senior vice president with BP Amoco but is very active in his retirement, serving not only on the NAMI DuPage Board but also with the Elk Skegemog Lakes Association board and as a member of the National Council of Advisors at Bradley University Foster College of Business Administration. Steve and his wife Ann are also proud grandparents.

It is with regret, however, that I announce the retirement of Board member, Sue Cahalan, who served ably on our Board as secretary. Sue's second term is expiring in March, but she will continue to be involved with NAMI DuPage in her roles of Chairman of the Education Committee, support group facilitator, and "go to" person for legal and education questions.

I look forward to working with all of you in 2011.

2011 NAMI National Convention

Save the Date! The 2011 convention will be held July 6th-9th, and this year it will be in Chicago at the Hilton on Michigan Avenue. Because it is to be held here in our hometown, this is a great opportunity for all NAMI DuPage members to attend. The professional speakers are outstanding, and this is a rare opportunity to network with NAMI members from throughout the country and to become acquainted with the members of NAMI National's Board of Directors. You can register online at nami.org or if you questions, you can always call our NAMI DuPage office at 630/752-0066.