NAMI Holds Benefit Concert At The Barn

ZANESVILLE, Ohio-The National Alliance for Mental Illness or NAMI held a benefit concert at The Barn bar and restaurant yesterday. 

NAMI has had a local chapter in Muskingum County for over two decades. Paul Quinn is a huge part of the organization and planned and executed yesterday’s concert. 

“We have six bands playing today for the Breakout Bash at the barn. John and Hannah Moore will kick it off, and we’ll have bands throughout the day and it’s all in the name of mental health and recovery from mental illness and addiction. We’re here today to hear some good music, and have a good time, and raise a little bit of money because NAMI doesn’t charge for anything that we do. And we’re gonna try to raise awareness too that recovery is possible.”

Quinn’s parents started the local chapter of NAMI in response to their other son being diagnosed with schizophrenia. Quinn says the goal of the group is to make life more livable for society’s most vulnerable. 

“NAMI is the National Alliance of Mental Illness and my parents started the local affiliate here about 25 years ago. For the last 25 years NAMI has been educating community members and law enforcement and other interested groups on how to deal with a mental illness, how to assist recovery and how to communicate with somebody when they’re in crisis. 

Quinn says that recovery is possible for anyone as long as they have support and hope.