SEBASTIAN — A team of big-hearted law enforcement officers will take to the court Thursday to help local families struggling with mental illness. At 6:30 p.m. Thursday, the nationally acclaimed Harlem Ambassadors basketball team will take on members of the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office playing for the Florida Comets in the Sebastian River High School gymnasium to raise money to promote awareness of mental illness.
The fundraiser is being put on by the Indian River County chapter of the National Alliance for Mental Illness or NAMI.
The $10 tickets for adults and $6 tickets for children ages 6-12 for the basketball game can be bought at the Sebastian River High School, the Sebastian River Area Chamber of Commerce, Scott’s Sporting Goods in Vero Beach and the Indian River County Sheriff’s Office. Children under the age of five will be admitted free.
Local NAMI organizers hope to pack the auditorium for the chance-of-a lifetime event.
Depending on how much money is raised, Jim Davis, the group’s former president, said money will hopefully go toward helping to provide residential housing for the area’s mentally ill, research and learning materials.
“We are passionate about the difficulties of mental illness,” says Davis, one of about five dozen members of the local group who volunteer their time.
To find out about NAMI of Indian River County’s meetings, classes and services, or to learn how to support the program as a member, volunteer or through a charitable donation, contact Jim Davis at (772) 532-7345, email IRCNAMI@yahoo.com or go to www.namiflorida.org.
