Community briefs

Virtual NAMIWalk

Instead of walking a 5K together at Guadalupe Park, participants in Santa Clara County’s fundraiser for the National Alliance on Mental Illness on Oct. 10 will choose an activity and join virtually with 33 other NAMIWalks across the country.

Many participants still plan to walk—using their treadmill, going outside in the backyard or strolling through a local park— while taking precautions against the COVID-19 virus. Others plan to hula-hoop, flip pancakes, practice yoga or do another activity they enjoy. They will share their activities on social media and follow NAMI Santa Clara County’s program on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and Twitter.

NAMI Walks Silicon Valley supports those who experience mental illness and those who support them. To join NAMIWalks Your Way, visit namiwalks.org/siliconvalley. There is no registration fee, but fundraising is encouraged to support NAMI Santa Clara County’s free local mental health programs and services.

Virtual NAMI talk

The San Jose chapter of the American Association of University Women (AAUW) is hosting an online discussion Oct. 21 about “Managing and Maintaining Good Mental Health in Challenging Times.”

Lesa Pascali and Kathy Forward from National Alliance for Mental Illness (NAMI) and Santa Clara County Mental Health for All will talk about how the Covid-19 pandemic, racial injustice and natural disasters affect us on a daily basis, increasing anxiety, isolation and depression. Pascali, who is a marriage family therapist, will address how to cope with these feelings.

The talk is set for 7-8:30 p.m. Register at Eventbrite.com.

PHOTO BY VAYUN TIWARI Sunnyvale resident Vayun Tiwari, 16, was recently named the Youth Winner of the National Audubon Society’s 2020 Photography Awards for this shot he took of a Northern Jacana, a marsh bird of the tropics, along the New River in Belize.