November Newsletter & Updates!
Knocking Addiction Out of the Park Success!
Thank you everyone who supported our 9th annual Fall Knocking addiction Out of the Park Charity Tournament. We raised $1500 to help support families impacted by substance use addiction and mental illness. We would like to especially recognize our Board Member Kristy Torres for her help in making this event a success as well as returning teams FAFO, Hammie Sammie, Monkey Balls, Base Invaders, and the new ATL Antix. We has so much fun watching you play! Your participation has allowed us to provide recovery support groups to help keep people living in recovery and wellness. Many do not have the financial means to access therapeutic support groups or on going treatment. On Tuesday evenings our peer recovery group meets at the Nichols Center to focus on building moral values to support a life of wellness. All of our group participants are working individuals with family responsibilities. Without YOU these groups would not be possible. Thank you for sharing recovery!
Gardens & Center: Friendsgiving Coming Up!
We are transitioning our center to prepare for the colder months. Plants are coming indoors and the ground is preparing for rest. Our plant shop will begin shifting to host families for Friendsgiving and our annual Santa Shop. Every year we host families in a time of gratitude and celebration for the holiday. Wednesday, Nov. 23rd we will welcome families from the mental health court and veterans court to participate in a Friendsgiving with our family here at the center. We are looking for donations of food and volunteers to help make this evening a success. If you would like to participate please contact our center at 404-736-2267. You can make a financial donation on our website and designate this for this specific event. Click the donation link below.
Guardians: Suicide Intervention Training Continues
We are finalizing our training schedule for the end of the year to complete our commitment with the Douglas County Fire and EMS department to have every First Responder trained in Peer to Peer Suicide Intervention. We have provided over 60 hours of training at no cost to the community. Our first responder breakfast and monthly guardians group are the relationship building blocks to establish a connection of support for one of the most overlooked groups, our community helpers. Firefighters and EMS workers statistically are at greater risk for suicide than even law enforcement. It is our priority to help keep them safe. Your support allows us to continue this great work for our community.
NAMI & CIT: Building a Network of Care
Our bimonthly community collaborative to build a network of care to identify community gaps for Mental Health Crisis is meeting Nov. 16th at the Douglas County Fire & EMS Headquarters. This meeting is to leverage partnerships within our community to help build mental health resources and support the existing programs to better serve the families in Douglas County. We will address the resources available to our local fire responders and how we can continue to equip members of our community service providers to be able to better support families in crisis.
Nichols Center is front running the building of a NAMI affiliate for Douglas County. We are meeting monthly with community partners and are in the final stages of submitting our application to the national review board. We will be providing information on Family Connections Classes coming soon to our Douglas County! Parenting 101 class: Douglasville Police Department Nichols Center CEO, Tara Nichols, MHC LPC is speaking at the Douglasville Police Department with Alice Jackson on parenting techniques and strategies to support families in our community Nov. 29th from 6:30-9PM is the third instalment of this wonderful class provided through the Youth Against Violence program lead by Chief Gary Sparks. We would love to show our support to the Douglasville Police Department through attendance. Classes have introduced skills for effective communication, identifying parenting pitfalls, and learning to regulate emotions in crisis. Please reach out for further details on future class dates and information.
Notes from Nana - I have been really busy, putting my personal plants in my house and putting the plants inside at the center before the freeze. So many folks have donated to us their plants, I am trying to make time to pick those up. I also wanted to say we had a wonderful weekend with the chili cook off, winning the scarecrow contest at the Cultural Arts Center. The softball tournament being a success, seeing old friends and watching some good softball. We also enjoyed food by Christs Cuts so much and appreciate them showing up. We are so grateful to their family.
With the farmers market season ending I will be at the plant shop more. We really hope you can join us at the center this holiday season. Margo and I will be there every Saturday from 10am-2pm (if we aren't on the GO somewhere at a community event). - Susie Nichols a.k.a. Plant Nana
Dates to Remember
Nov. 7th - First Responder Breakfast
Nov. 18th - CIT Meeting - Douglas Fire Department Headquarters
Nov. 23rd - Friend's Giving for Accountability Courts
Nov. 29th - Parenting Class - Tara Nichols presenting at Douglasville Police Department
Dec. 1st - Cultural Arts Center
