Nonprofit to co-sponsor community book club, launch August fundraising drive
The P.A.M. Alliance marked its official launch with a community celebration and looks forward to upcoming events and growing community collaboration.
The mental health-focused nonprofit gathered with fellow P.A.M. Champions on Saturday, June 13 at Blanchard Hall to share more about the organization and highlight upcoming events and opportunities to support progress and action on mental health.
“It was an amazing event – we were so thrilled people enjoyed connecting with people who care about mental health in our community,” said Cassie Colson Perenchio, The P.A.M. Alliance’s founder and executive director. “It’s the start of something special.”
Guests watched a video from prominent mental health speaker and advocate Mike Veny, heard more about the Alliance’s roots in remarks by Colson Perenchio, and took part in activities to connect across experiences through intentional, meaningful discussion. The organization also announced
upcoming opportunities to get involved, including a mental healthfocused book club growing out of a collaboration between the Alliance, Naturally Empowered Living and Blanchardville Public Library.
“It’s so exciting to see The P.A.M. Alliance come together in the community, for the community,” said Carmen Danz, who attended the launch celebration. “I believe mental health advocacy is a form of healthcare and should be talked about with the same level of importance and urgency. I think we would be surprised how much more connected we are to each other if we take the step to be involved in groups like The P.A.M. Alliance.”
The P.A.M. Alliance, Naturally Empowered Living and Blanchardville Public Library are co-sponsoring and hosting a community book club starting in late July. Photo provided.
The community gathered to help celebrate the formal launch of The P.A.M. Alliance, a new nonprofit focused on mental health access and education.
The Alliance was founded in honor of the experiences and challenges experienced by the late Pam (Willborn) Colson, Colson Perenchio’s mother and a 1976 Pecatonica High School graduate who lived with bipolar disorder since she was a teen and died from stage 4 colon cancer in 2017. The organization focuses on progress and action on mental health – the letters that form the acronym as a nod to Pam’s name and memory.
“You joined us today because you are a P.A.M. Champion in one way or another. You believe, at some level, in progress and action on mental health. And, if you invite just one additional person into this organization’s conversations, you will have taken a meaningful step into being a changemaker in this space,” Colson Perenchio said. “We thank you for whatever you are going to do to stay engaged.”
The organization provides scholarships to students pursuing higher education, hosts small group and community conversations to connect people and experiences, brings together experts to learn about the potential for cross-system collaboration, and participates in issue-based, nonpartisan legislative advocacy.
“The Alliance believes in a wholeperson approach to mental health care that doesn’t exclude or silo out medical care. Rather, we believe education, reducing stigma, and storytelling will be a foundation – one by which the health “care” system in this country being reformed,” Colson Perenchio said in her remarks. “Still, it was only when Mom received a stage 4 colon cancer diagnosis that I truly realized the system is dysfunctional at best and deeply punishing at worst.”
One of the organization’s first scholarship recipients, Chayse Hirsch, also shared more about her post-high school plans. She and classmate Mazie Theorin received the Alliance’s first two scholarships at Pecatonica High School’s awards ceremony on May 29.
“The P.A.M. Alliance firmly believes that everyone should have access to the mental health care they need to live full, dignified and healthy lives,” Colson Perenchio said. “It fuels our passion for providing scholarships to high school seniors so they will take being P.A.M. Champions into their education and future work. It fuels our belief in hosting events that encourage conversations like the ones we will have this afternoon and ultimately reduce stigma.”
For more information, visit www.thepamalliance.org and follow the organization on Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn. Colson Perenchio is available at thepamalliance@gmail.com. The public is encouraged to watch for details on an August fundraising drive that will help support new events and opportunities over the next few months.
