Host:  Welcome to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of Western New York Independent Living (WNYIL). Our guest today is Maura Kelley, Director of Mental Health PEER Connection (MHPC) and your host is yours truly, Ernie Churchwell. Welcome to the program, Maura.

Guest: Thank you, it's nice to be here Ernie.

Host:  Glad to have you. You're here because you have the authoritative word on a big event that's coming up in the near future, sponsored by your organization, the Kite Festival celebrating mental health. First before we forget if you could mention the when and the where and we can repeat that later for people that didn't have their pencils handy.

Guest:  Sure, MHPC is hosting the third annual celebrate mental health kite flying festival at Gratwick Park in North Tonawanda in Niagara County from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. this coming Saturday, September 7.

Host:  Great. Now, I'm sure many people have the question, what is the purpose for a kite festival to celebrate mental health, who is it focused on and what is it hope to achieve?

Guest:  Well, there's many purposes but basically one purpose, the main purpose is to celebrate mental health and celebrate people like myself that have mental health issues, and don't want to just stay indoors and hide about the fact that we have mental health issues. We are alive and we happen to have this illness or disease or thought disorder, and that doesn't keep us inside and it seems like a lot of people in this country want to keep us inside, and we are going to fly kites instead.

Host:  Isn't it correct that, statistically speaking, one in four families have someone who could be diagnosed with a mental health issue?

Guest:  Yes, one in four of Americans have a clinically diagnosed mental illness.

Host:  I believe that at this time, mental health issues have been in the news  particularly heavy because of what some politicians have said. Do you have any comment on that?

Guest:  Sure, there's a lot going on about gun control and mentally ill people. And, you know there's a lot of terrible, heinous crimes and shootings that go on in America, and they're blaming mentally ill people. But in other countries, they must not have no mentally ill people because they're not having the terrible assaults we are having. It isn't because people are mentally ill that these terrible, disgraceful events happen. It's because of the assault rifles, and other beliefs but stop blaming the mentally ill for everyone else's problems, it's not our fault.

Host:  I believe I saw this statistic recently that while the United States just has 5% of the world's population, we have 31% of the mass shootings in the world. And many people blame that on availability of powerful weapons as you say, and also propensity of a lot of Americans to take out their prejudices and bad feelings, meanness and whatnot on people. Would you say that politicians are just scapegoating individuals with mental health issues because it's easier than dealing with the real root causes?

Guest:  Well I think politicians don't want to go near the NRA so they're blaming us, the vulnerable mentally ill people that only 2 to 3% of people with mental illness, that's one and four are violent. We're more likely to be victims of crime. 70 to 75% of people with mental illness are victims of crime, versus perpetrators.

Host:  Some things that are practical about the event in question. Although you're inviting people to bring their own kites, I believe there'll be some basic ones there that can be purchased for a modest sum?

Guest:  There's basic kites and you don't have to purchase them, if you just come out, we'll have crayons and things you can decorate the kites, or just fly it. It’s a wonderful place to fly kites. Basically, you just stick the kite up in the air and if the wind’s blowing, it flies around. It's wonderful to just be an adult, in my case, flying a kite like I was a little kid again.

Host:  And they'll be free food, I believe.

Guest:  Yes, hot dogs, hot dogs.

Host:  Wonderful. And again, the date and time of that?

Guest:  It is September 7, Gratwick Park, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., hotdogs galore.

Host:  And if people want more information, where can they call?

Guest:  They can call 716-836-0822 extension 170.

Host:  Thanks so much for being with us Maura.

Guest:  Thank you.

Host:  You've been listening to Independent Perspective, a public affairs presentation of WNYIL. Our guest today was Maura Kelley, Director of MHPC, and your host was yours truly, Ernie Churchwell.