In the news
An update on the happenings of Oaklawn
Oaklawn celebrates Mental
Illness Awareness Week
Oaklawn will celebrate Mental Illness
Awareness Week, October 5-11, with
several events in St. Joseph County.
Details are still being finalized, but
events include:
• a professional seminar featuring
Michael Sherbun, who will speak
about caring for the caregiver, on
Monday, October 6, at Saint Joseph
Regional Medical Center;
• a luncheon with author and
advocate Pete Earley, whose son
has bipolar disorder, on Tuesday,
October 7;
• and a community awareness event
on Wednesday, October 8, at
Oaklawn’s South Bend campus
PETE EARLEY
Earley spent years
writing about crime
as a journalist. But
when his own son,
who has a mental
illness, broke into
a neighbor’s house
during a manic
episode, he got an
entirely different look at the law. Earley chronicled
his attempts to help his son navigate
the system in “Crazy: A Father’s Search
through America’s Mental Health
Madness.” He is an advocate for reform
in America’s mental health and prison
systems.
colors to evoke a sense of health
and wholeness
Please take a moment to check out the
new site and share it with others.
MICHAEL SHERBUN
Sherbun is a healthcare executive and
clinician with more than 25 years of
experience in hospital management
and behavioral
health care. He
is the author of
“Caring for the
Caregiver; 8 Truths
to Prolong Your
Career.” He speaks
nationally about
staff stress and
burnout.
Spring Spectacular raises
$75,000 for mental health
New website launches
In early June, Oaklawn unveiled a project
months in the making — a redesigned
www.o aklawn.org. The new site:
• Is easy to navigate from your
computer, smartphone or tablet
• Incorporates our many services in
one user-friendly location
• Lets clients and partners quickly
access services or make a referral
• Provides links to valuable
community, state and national
resources
• Is translated into Spanish
• Uses inspiring images and cool
Meet the staff
Oaklawn’s 15th Annual Spring
Spectacular raised both awareness
and funds for mental health in our
community. The fundraiser brought
in $75,000 that will be used to help
provide mental health and addiction
services in Elkhart and St. Joseph
counties.
Jeannette Walls, author of the New
York Times best-selling memoir “The
Glass Castle,” spoke to more than 1,000
people at the event.
Walls spoke about her journey from a
poor childhood – growing up with parents
who likely had undiagnosed mental
illnesses, complicated by her father’s
alcoholism – to her success later in life
as a journalist in New York City. She also
encouraged others to share their stories
and to help take care of each other.
Oaklawn would like to thank all of its
corporate and personal sponsors for
their contributions, as well as everyone
who turned out to hear Walls speak and
to support mental health.
Name: Matt Lentsch
Title: Executive Director, Oaklawn Foundation
Experience: Fundraising, strategy,
management
Degree: B.A., Master of Public Administration
Matt lives in Mishawaka with his wife,
Connie, and two daughters. He has two
adult step-children and four grandchildren.
Name: Alicia Sisk
Title: Writer
Joined Oaklawn: March 2014
Experience: Creative Manager /
Newspaper Journalist & Editor
Degree: B.S., Communications
Alicia lives in Granger with her husband
and two kids and enjoys reading,
sewing and baking.
Name: Kari Tarman
Title: Manager of Marketing,
Communications and Volunteer Services
Joined Oaklawn: May 2013
Experience: Marketing & Communications
Degree: B.S., Psychology, second year
graduate student studying public
administration.
Kari lives in Elkhart with her husband,
Justin, and two dogs.
Name: Ashley Petersen
Title: Division Support Specialist
Joined Oaklawn: July 2013
Experience: Care facilitator & teacher
Degree: B.A. English, focus in Creative
Writing; pursuing a Master’s in English
Ashley lives in South Bend and enjoys
writing, traveling, and sampling food
from different cultures.
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Jan.2013
Advocate
Summer 2014
yourmagazine
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