Yankton Mayor David Knoff hasproclaimed June 6-7, 2012 as “YanktonMental Wellness, Inc. 14th AnnualConference Days”. Yankton AreaMental Wellness, Inc. (YAMWI) willhost the Fourteenth Annual Confer-ence at Mount Marty College on June6-7.

The Mayor’s proclamation and theconference reflect the commitment totraining and networking in Yankton, aregion that is both extremely con-cerned about serving those in needand is also rich in both resources andprofessional expertise to educate oth-ers, especially about mental health is-sues.

“Going for Gold: Good MentalHealth” is the theme for the 2012 con-ference emphasizing how good men-tal health is something we all need tostrive for. Conference sessions will ad-dress various topics pertaining tomental wellness that are of special in-terest to mental health professionalsserving family members or clientswith mental health concerns.

The conference has becomeknown throughout the region for pro-viding professional presenters withhigh quality information about mentalhealth issues. The conference isaimed at identifying resources andbuilding a network of contact.

Everyone interested is welcome toattend. Professional credits are beingrequested for Nursing Home Adminis-trators, Counselors, Alcohol and DrugProfessionals, Social Workers, Li-censed Childcare Providers, Emer-gency Medical Technicians andDentists. One undergraduate college

credit is being offered through MountMarty College and one graduate col-lege credit is offered through the Uni-versity of Sioux Falls for thisconference for an additional fee.

The conference early registrationis due May 18th. Registration infor-mation is available by phone at (605)6665-4659 Ext. 218, email atyamwi.org@gmail.com or website atwww.yamwi.org.

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The fourteenth annual Yankton Area MentalWellness Conference will be held on Wednes-day and Thursday, June 6 - 7, at Mount MartyCollege. The conference, sponsored by Yank-ton Area Mental Wellness, Inc (YAMWI), isaimed at increasing knowledge, identifying re-sources and building a network of contacts.

This conference will uphold YAMWI’s mis-sion for “Caring for Self…Caring for Commu-nity” through the 2012 theme of “Going forGold: Good Mental Health” Presentations atthe conference will address topics of special in-terest to family members caring for loved onesor professionals serving clients with mentalhealth concerns. The conference will featurevarious mental health issues while showcasingprofessional presenters from throughout thestate, region, and nation.

DEE DEE RAAPDee Dee Raap, BA will present the keynote

address on Wednesday, June 6th, titled “Goingfor Gold: Making Your Journey Great” Intoday’s world, everyone is very busy. The in-basket is never empty and the “to do” list isnever short. We nurture families, friends, co-workers and patients with care, support andsometimes a gentle touch. Then we turnaround and demand from ourselves perfection,tremendous effort, pushing ourselves to domore with less…and we wonder why we’retired! It’s time to make our journey great bygoing for the gold—the gifts that we can giveourselves every day to make our life wonderfuland celebrate who we are, so we can still bethere for those we serve.

She will also present breakout session titled“Leading to Achieve High Touch Service”.Today’s organizations need fearlessly authen-tic leaders who can inspire personal best levelsin service, teamwork and compassion everyday. The challenge of achieving High TouchService is rewarded with the positive impact ofturning service into an affordable marketingstrategy and effective employee engagementtool. This session is for you if you want tolearn how to create retention, referrals and re-lationships in a challenging economy!

Dee Dee Raap is an author, speaker andconsultant whose passion is transforming livesand organizational cultures with core valuesshe learned from her mother’s life, shared inher book JourneyWords, 52 Strategies toAchieve Great Service. Known for real stories,humor and a unique way of helping us seewhat we can be, Dee Dee trains on customerservice, leadership and achieving life balancedesperately needed today by those who servein health care.

Dee Dee served as Director of Sales andMarketing for SD Tourism and VP of MarketingDevelopment for BankWest before startingJourneyWorks, her speaking and consultingpractice, in 1996. Health care clients includeAvera McKennan Hospital and Fitness Center,Sanford, Regional West Medical Center, SDHealth Care Association, ND Long Term CareAssociation, ND Hospital Association, SD Qual-ity Managers Association, SD and WIAlzheimer’s Associations and Mayo Clinic Hos-pice. Dee Dee is a member of the NationalSpeakers Association, and author of Dear

Mom: Remembering, Celebrating, Healing, andFind Your Pink Flamingos: Celebrating the Giftsof a Mom.

PAULA SMITH-COOKDuring Wednesday’s luncheon, conference

participants will be treated to a presentationby Pastor Paula Smith-Cook. Paula Y. Smith-Cook, an ordained Pastor, and native of Buffalo,NY, has been serving as a Spiritual Advisor forKeystone Treatment Center in Canton, SD, for11 years. She has been Senior Pastor and Su-pervisor of Spiritual Advisors for the past 4years. Pastor Paula has also served as Wor-ship Pastor at Center of Life Church Interna-tional in Sioux Falls, SD, for the past 17 years.

Pastor Smith-Cook’s presentation will helpeveryone realize the importance and rewardsof intricately weaving our spiritual tools intoevery aspect of life, for the result of “AbundantLiving”

WALTER LITTLEMOONOn Wednesday, June 6th, at 5 p.m. Little-

moon will share the award winning hour longdocumentary “The Thick Dark Fog” which de-scribes the impact American Indian boardingschools of the past continues to have on IndianCountry. He will take questions from the audi-ence at the end of it.

Walter Littlemoon, born in 1942, was raisedin the community of Wounded Knee on thePine Ridge Indian Reservation in South Dakota.His father was a full blood Lakota and hismother a Northern Cheyenne. For many yearshe sought solutions to the cross-generationaldefeat and depression ensuing from historicalpolicies. Whether bringing in supplies and en-couragement through the Tiyospaye CrisisCenter which he founded, offering drug and al-cohol abuse counseling, speaking cross-coun-try, or serving as Wounded Knee Districtpresident, Walter tried to help raise his peo-ple’s self-esteem. Now exploring and sharinghis personal recovery is one more, and per-haps the greatest, step in that effort. In hismemoir “They Called Me Uncivilized”, and thedocumentary (The Thick Dark Fog) that hasbeen based on it, he describes the impact ofgovernment boarding schools. He shares theunburdening relief it gives to have a name forthe hopeless “thick, dark fog” that haunted himfor over sixty years – Complex Post TraumaticStress.

Littlemoon’s memoir and the documentaryhave become part of the curriculum at severalcolleges and universities not only in the UnitedStates but also around the world. It is said thathe brings a flesh and blood perspective to theabstractions that are federal policies and thathis voice gives life to academic texts. The un-pretentious style of his thin memoir has beencompared to : Hiroshima by John Hersey, Nightby Elie Wiesel and The Narrative of the Life ofFrederick Douglass by Frederick Douglass forpacking the same wallop as those brief books.His is a universal message that speaks not onlyof pain and suffering but more importantly ofthe hope to live a contented life.

On Thursday morning Walter will infor-mally share his path toward healing from themulti-generational trauma that so many Native

Americans suffer from in his presentation “Theimpact of U.S. Indian Boarding Schools - Com-plex Post Traumatic Stress.” Knowledge andunderstanding are the keys to a healthier soci-ety.

JILL FURANJill Furan is Miss South Dakota International

2012 will be the featured speaker on Thursday,June 7th. Throughout her year she is travelingaround the sate speaking about her platform“A Different Kind of Lifeguard: Blowing theWhistle on Depression, Self-Injury and Suicide.”

Jill is a 2012 graduate of South Dakota StateUniversity in Brookings, SD, with a Bachelor ofArts degree in English. Suffering from a severedepressive disorder for 12 years, Furan willshare insight on a mentally ill mind.

RACHEL PINOSDuring Thursday’s luncheon, conference

participants will be treated with a presentationentitled “MyPLate” by Rachel Pinos represent-ing Avera Sacred Heart Hospital and YanktonHyVee. Rachel received her Bachelor of Sci-ence degree in Dietetics from North DakotaState University in Fargo, ND, in May of 2010.She completed her dietetic internship throughthe University of South Dakota School of Medi-cine spending time in both Rapid City andSioux Falls. Rachel offers a wide range of pro-grams and services through HyVee such asstore tours, wellness and cooking classes,weight loss, diabetes, heart health, food aller-gies and other disease specific needs.

Rachel’s presentation will allow par-ticipants to learn about the new MyPlate andpractical healthy eating tips.

AMY DEE-KRISTENSENAmy Dee-Kristensen. will present the clos-

ing presentation titled “Everyday Heroes LivingMarvelous Moments” Leave your red capesand super powers at home! Being an EverydayHero doesn’t require you to leap tall buildings.You are an Everyday Hero because you'vedone something positive that you were not ob-ligated to do.

We will celebrate the power of kindness be-cause who you are matters! You, the EverydayHero, can find marvelous moments every sin-gle day! Marvelous moments don’t only hap-pen when you win the lottery or get a jobpromotion. Marvelous is seeing your sulkyteenager smile, or getting the perfect parkingspot.

We all become happier and more creativewhen we find the fun and learn to celebrate thetiny bits of magic that come into our lifethroughout the day. Amy’s dynamic and inspir-ing message is simple but profound: Life is funand funny and marvelous moments are themagic of everyday! You leave your sacred fin-gerprint on every encounter you have with an-other human being. Let's Celebrate you, theEveryday Hero and squeeze more magic out ofthis marvelous life we share!

Amy has been a professional speaker/work-shop facilitator for over 20 years in the U.S andabroad, and is a member of the NationalSpeaker’s Association. While living in Norway

from 1994-2003, she founded and managed asuccessful mail order business and learned theNorwegian language and culture.

In June of 2003, Amy returned to the UnitedStates and started life over as a single parent,renovated a 100 year old “shack house” and re-turned to college as a “middle-aged” nursingstudent. Today, Amy is a national speaker, apart time psychiatric nurse and most impor-tantly, the mother of Christine (twenty) andSofi (fifteen). Life is a wonderful journey andlaughter, gratitude along with a stash of hiddenchocolate makes it even better!

34 BREAKOUT SESSIONSThe YAMWI conference will also include 34

breakout sessions featuring the following local,regional and national speakers: Todd R. Baileyof Yankton Police Department; John Billingsthe Deputy State Attorney for Yankton County;Michael Bloom of Sioux Falls Family MedicineResidency; Jenny Briest of Yankton; Angela M.Cavett of Knowlton, O’Neill and Associates ofWest Fargo, ND; Robin Carter-Visscher ofSioux Falls VA Medical Center; Jessica Chris-tensen and Thomas Lewno of Federal Bureauof Prisons in Yankton; Renee Christensen ofJohnson and Christensen Law Office of SiouxFalls; David Demarest, David Anders and BarbCassell of One With Life of Ankeny, IA; Dr. Ger-ard Jacobs and Dr. Elizabeth Talbot of the Uni-versity of South Dakota in Vermillion; CraigKindrat of Avera McKennan Hospital in SiouxFalls; Walter Littlemoon of South Dakota Hu-manities Council of Brookings; Jean Hunhoff ofAvera Sacred Heart in Yankton;; Tracy Taylor ofMount Marty College in Yankton; Gerry Ebel,Mary Kay Healy, Paula Hendrickson, AbbeyKokesh, Thomas Stanage and Lisa Wiepen ofLewis and Clark Behavioral Health Services inYankton; Gwen Maag of Avera Education &Staffing Solutions in Yankton; Brad Patterson ofKeystone Treatment Center in Sioux Falls;Sherri Rodgers-Conti of Southeast CASA Pro-gram in Yankton; Dr. Dennis Stevens of SanfordHealth System in Sioux Falls; Terry Stulken ofColman-Egan Schools in Colman; MattStricherz of Vermillion; Mark Vande Braak ofAvera Behavioral Health Center in Sioux Falls;Cody Wieman of Avera Yankton Care Center inYankton

MENTAL WELLNESS CONFERENCE REGISTRA-TION

Everyone interested is welcome to attendthe Mental Wellness Conference. Professionalcredit for mental health professionals is ap-proved, including teacher certificate renewalcontact hours. Prompt pre-registration is en-couraged with the registration fee of $115 priorto May 18th. Contact conference organizers tocoordinate agency billing arrangements, if re-quired. In addition one undergraduate credit isavailable through Mount Marty College, Yank-ton, and one graduate credit is availablethrough the University of Sioux Falls. Registra-tion materials are available online atwww.yamwi.org. For more information contactCraig Sherman at yamwi.org@gmail.com or665-4659, Ext. 218.

YAMWI To Host 14th Annual Mental Health Conference June 6-7

Regional And National Professionals To PresentMental Wellness

ConferenceOffers

ProfessionalCredit

Yankton Area Mental Well-ness, Inc. is pleased to an-nounce that professional creditwill be available to those par-ticipants attending the 2012Mental Wellness Conference.The conference will be held onJune 6-7, 2012, at Mount MartyCollege, in Yankton.

The Planning Committee forthe event will offer professionalcredit in various disciplines.

Applications for the continu-ing education credit have beensubmitted to the following:

• S.D. Board of CounselorExaminers

• Board of Examiners forNursing Home Administratorsin S.D.

• S.D. Board of Social WorkExaminers

• Certification Board of Al-cohol and Drug Professionals

• S.D. Department of Emer-gency Services (EmergencyMedical Technicians)

• S.D. Department of SocialServices Childcare Services forregistered and licensedProviders

• Continuing EducationUnits – by the S.D. Departmentof Education

• SD State Board of Den-tistry

• Wisconsin Nurses Associa-tion is an accredited approverby the American Nurses Cre-dentialing Center’s Commissionon Accreditation

In addition, Mount MartyCollege will be offering one un-dergraduate credit ($110 fee)and the University of SiouxFalls will be offering one gradu-ate credit ($40 fee).

For additional informationor questions concerning theabove information contactCraig Sherman at (605) 665-4659 ext. 218 oryamwi.org@gmail.com

I have been fortunate enough towork my entire career as a nurse and acounselor in the mental health field. Ican’t begin to describe the fulfillment,as a mental health professional, thatI’ve experienced in my career.

I now find myself thinking moreabout what opportunity retirementmight present. I’ve also come to theconclusion that retirement could be awindow to the rest of my life, as op-posed to a door.

Isn’t it funny, that that time cansound so peaceful and relaxing? Vi-sions of hours spent gardening orwatching grandchildren grow up, cometo mind. The thing is — what to dowith the other 80 percent of my time!I’ve been doing some thinking andsome reading. A couple of things seem

abundantly clear to me. First, it wouldbe wise to be occupied with activity orinterests that I have a passion for. Sec-ond, it would be reasonable to use myskills I’ve learned in my career, and putthem to use in other areas.

That fives me a point of reference,but I have a long way to go in choosingdirections in this next phase of my life.The important thing will be to keep ac-tive and enjoy whatever direction Ichoose. I guess that I’m beginning tobetter understand what my grand-mother told me years ago — “Do whatyou love-the rest will fall into place.”

Betty Viau RN BSN, is currently Nurse Managerfor Cedar Village Assisted Living, the Planning Chair forthe 14th Annual Yankton Area Mental Wellness Con-ference and is a member of the Yankton Area MentalWellness Board of Directors.

Mayor Proclaims Mental Wellness Conference Days

Yankton Mayor David Knoff (pictured second from left) has proclaimed June 6-7, 2012, as “Yankton Mental Well-ness, Inc 14th Annual Conference Days.” Pictured left to right are YAMWI representative Lori Lincoln of MountMarty College, Mayor David Knoff, Craig Sherman, Executive Director of YAMWI, and YAMWI representative PamKettering of United Way & Volunteer Services of Yankton.

Betty Viau:

Looking Through The Window Of Retirement

Gardening is work that I eagerly an-ticipate every spring. First comes theplanning of colors with various flowers.It also involves planning the vegetableswe like to eat and the challenge of tryingto grow something new. After planningout the available space, the preparationof the soil and planting of the selectedseeds, the most exciting part of theprocess is witnessing the plants emerg-ing out of the ground.

Planting seeds in a garden is verycomparable to sharing time and energywith others. First comes the planning ofwhat you would enjoy doing, planningon your available time and planning ifyou would like to share time with agroup of people or have a one-on-one ex-perience.

The next step is “shopping” for theavailable opportunities. Selecting an op-portunity may be as easy as observing aneighbor that needs assistance. An op-portunity may arise when visiting withothers or reading about a local issue.Sometimes finding an opportunity tomake a difference is just acknowledgingan “itch” that has once again risen to thesurface and you can no longer ignore.

Once the connection is made whereyou are engaging your time and energyin an activity that is making a difference,making the world a better place, or en-hancing life for others, take a step backand consider how you feel at that mo-ment.

Are you feeling satisfaction with

yourself? Are you feeling less tense? Areyou happier? Are you feeling that youare doing something worthwhile? Areyou feeling healthier? Do you feel thatyou are making an improvement insomeone’s life? Are you nodding yourhead? This is what volunteering is allabout!! This is the reason why so manypeople volunteer!

Volunteers plant seeds of hope, solu-tions, caring, skills, vision, wisdom, suc-cess plus much, much more.Volunteers lift spirits of others as well asincreasing their own self-worth. Volun-teers generate human kindness to oth-ers as they simultaneously improvetheir own mental and physical health.Volunteers share their skills and aug-ment their own capabilities. Volunteersshare their life experiences while gainingtolerance, erasing prejudices and in-creasing sensitivity toward others.

George Washington Carver said,“How far you go in life depends on yourbeing tender with the young, compas-sionate with the aged, sympathetic withthe striving and tolerant of the weak andstrong.”

Start planning how far you are goingto go in life. Start planning the seedsyou are going to plant that will producepositive outcomes. When those seedsof opportunity come to fruition, take amoment to contemplate the differenceyou have made – the difference youhave made for others and especially thedifference you have made in yourself!

Pam Kettering:

Planting Seeds — Making A Difference