Hemingway headlining mental health gala

Oscar-nominated actress, author, and mental health advocate Mariel Hemingway will be the keynote speaker during the Arapahoe/Douglas Mental Health Network’s 60th anniversary celebration on Oct. 14 at the Grand Hyatt hotel in downtown Denver.

Hemingway will speak about her personal experience as a member of the Hemingway family, telling the story of their lives as they battled mental illness.

The Shine On 60th Anniversary Celebration will begin with a reception at 6 p.m. Dinner at 7 p.m. will be followed by Hemingway’s talk.

Hemingway recently released two books, “Out Came the Sun” and “Invisible Girl”, as well as the documentary, “Running From Crazy”, that was produced by Oprah Winfrey.

“Mariel Hemingway is an inspiring advocate for those facing mental illness and we are honored that she will be with us to bring even more credibility and insight to the conversation around mental health issues,” said Joan DiMaria, CEO of ADMHN. “Nearly everyone at some point in their lives is touched by mental illness whether it be within families or among friends and co-workers. As a private non-profit behavioral organization, we are proud to care for more than 14,000 individuals throughout the metro area each year.”

9News anchor Kim Christiansen will emcee the event that is co-chaired by Kay Burke and Cindi Burge. Gail Johnson, Susan Troyan and Amber Freed co-chaired the kickoff party earlier this month.

The 60th anniversary celebration aims to shine a light on:

• The importance of wellness and recovery from mental illness and addictions.
• The accomplishments and mission of ADMHN, a leading behavioral health organization.
• The future of the mental health movement in Colorado and nationally.

“We are making an impact in the mental health arena at an exceedingly critical time,” DiMaria said. “Our 60th Anniversary celebration provides a platform for education, outreach and awareness.”

ADMHN specializes in the emotional and behavioral needs of children, adolescents, adults and families and helps individuals with severe and persistent mental health conditions that are life threatening.

For more information about Shine On and to purchase tickets, visit www.blacktie-colorado/rsvp and enter event code: ADMHN101415. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Shira Moffatt at smoffatt@admhn.org or by calling 303-999-2348.