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Highlights of the auxiliary events included a symposium in which former first lady Rosalynn Carter participated (Psychiatric News, June 20), a luncheon featuring mystery writer Abigail Padgett, and a gala reception cosponsored by the American Psychiatric Foundation.
Carter was the featured speaker in a symposium on caregiving on Monday, May 19, during which she was presented with an honorary membership in the auxiliary.
In addition to her work on behalf of the mentally ill, Carter has devoted much time to addressing the needs of those who care for chronically sick and disabled family members at home. Carter's work with caregivers grew out of her previous work in the mental health field and her own experiences in dealing with ill family members. Her interest led to the establishment of the Rosalynn Carter Institute in 1987 on the campus of Georgia Southwestern State University, her alma mater.
"The mission of the institute," said Carter at the symposium, "is to understand the process of caregiving and discover new ways to benefit both professional--formal--caregivers and family--informal--caregivers. We believe that the professional and family caregivers can work together to help each other on their caregiving roles and provide better help to those receiving care."
Based on her personal and private experiences, Carter wrote the recently published book Helping Yourself Help Others: A Book for Caregivers.
The other symposium speakers were former APA president Paul Jay Fink, M.D., APA's representative on the Rosalynn Carter Institute's National Quality Caregivers Consortium; APA Trustee-at-Large Carol Bernstein, M.D., an associate professor of clinical psychiatry and director of psychiatry residency training at NYU Medical Center; Douglas M. Lanes, M.D., a private practitioner in Manchester, N.H., and the coauthor of Witness to Illness; and Jack Nottingham, M.D., executive director of the Rosalynn Carter Institute of Georgia Southwestern State University.
The annual APA auxiliary luncheon was held at the historic Hotel del Coronado on Tuesday, May 20. Margaret Duff, local arrangements chair, welcomed guests, and William G. Frank, M.D., gave the invocation.
Both outgoing APA President Harold Eist, M.D., and incoming APA President Herbert Sacks, M.D., addressed the group. In addition to praising the work of the auxiliary, Eist spoke on behalf of his wife, Ann, who has been instrumental in forwarding the goals of the auxiliary for many years. Sacks commented on the importance of the auxiliary's work and the need to continue encouraging membership growth.
The auxiliary honored a number of individuals at the luncheon. Grace Talkington was honored as the "#1 Ex-President of the APA Auxiliary" and as one of its founders. Former APA president Paul Jay Fink, M.D., was recognized for his many years of dedicated service to and support of the auxiliary. Mary Evelyn Smith was recognized for 10 years of service as president of the R.E. Jones Assistance Foundation.
Former auxiliary president Zoe Brunt installed the officers for 1997-98. They are Catherine Kirschner, president; Debbie Lazarus, president-elect; Melba Frank, first vice president; Terri Mawhinney, second vice president; Gail Fuller, third vice president; Pat Hostetter, recording secretary; Sharon Good, treasurer; Agnes Foos, corresponding secretary; and Jacqueline LeBlanc, parliamentarian.
During lunch auxiliary members and their guests got a look at the latest fashions in the Gretchen Productions Mini-Fashion Show. Gretchen Burns is the spouse of San Diego psychiatrist David Berman, M.D. One of the models was Alicia Mu¤oz, wife of incoming APA President-elect Rodrigo Mu¤oz, M.D.
The featured speaker at the luncheon, Abigail Padgett, is the author of a mystery series whose heroine, Bo Bradley, suffers from manic depression. Padgett has been hailed for her sympathetic depiction of a woman who has a successful career and normal life despite her mental illness. Jane Lynch, executive editor of the auxiliary's newsletter, presented Padgett with the auxiliary's 1997 Media Award.
The auxiliary was cosponsor of the gala reception of the American Psychiatric Foundation held Saturday evening, May 17, at the San Diego Museum of Art in beautiful Balboa Park. Members of the foundation board and auxiliary welcomed guests and invited them to mingle among the unusual works of art surrounding them. Among the special guests at the gala was former astronaut Wally Schirra.
In the sculpture gardens outside, guests gathered for remarks by the foundation's president, Elissa Benedek, M.D., and executive vice president, Lynn May. On behalf of the auxiliary, Kirschner, Duff, and outgoing APA Auxiliary President Sylvia Trent accepted a plaque for promotion of ticket sales to the gala. The evening ended with the theater production "The Real Thing" at the Old Globe Theatre, also in Balboa Park.
All spouses of APA members are invited to join the auxiliary and further the work of APA and its members. Membership information is available by calling Katie Davis, executive secretary, at (202) 682-6366 or one of the auxiliary's membership cochairs: Anne Balster, (937) 436-0668, and Cathy Tasman, (502) 327-9057.
(Psychiatric News, July 18, 1997)