BY JENNY CALLISON
Enquirer Contributor
LEBANON -- There is more to the artwork on exhibit at the Countryside YMCA than meets the eye.
The paintings and crafted items are the work of adults who are recovering from mental illness and of volunteers who provide important friendships for them. The exhibit is sponsored by Compeer, a program that matches volunteers with mentally ill adults.
"Volunteers spend one-to-two hours each week with their match, offering companionship and helping them rebuild social skills,"said Rosalyn Dadas, Compeer coordinator for Warren County.
"Few of our clients hold jobs, and they often don't have families, so our volunteers get them out and give them support."
Compeer is an international program based in Rochester, N.Y. Its goal is to use the power of friendship to help the mentally ill lead happier and more productive lives.
For Warren County Compeer partners, weekly outings usually consist of simple pleasures, such as visits to parks or the zoo, or a lunch.
Some canvases on exhibit are the work of clients who participated in art therapy sessions in a day-treatment program for the recovering mentally ill. Other works were created by clients independently. Compeer volunteers contributed needlework and crocheted items. The exhibit focuses public attention on the needs of the mentally ill, Ms. Dadas said.
"The first week of October is Mental Illness Awareness Week," she said. "We want to educate the public about how these disorders are treated and how to advocate for people affected by them."
The Warren County Compeer has headquarters in Mason and is part of the Mental Health Association of the Greater Cincinnati Area. It is funded by the Warren County United Way.
Ms. Dadas said that the program always needs volunteers who can spare a couple of hours each week to befriend a recovering person.
"We have eight clients matched with volunteers, but we have 15 more on a waiting list," she said.
If you go
The Compeer exhibit will run through Saturday at the Ralph J. Stolle Countryside YMCA, 1699 Deerfield Road. Information: 932-1424. For more information about Compeer: 459-9551.
