At its Sept. 6 meeting, the Mercer Island City Council passed proclamations establishing September as National Preparedness Month and National Recovery Month on Mercer Island and proclaimed Sept. 6 as a day to honor the memory of Bill Russell.

National Preparedness Month is a nationwide collaborative where communities prepare for disasters through emergency management and education. National Recovery Month promotes resources for prevention, intervention and treatment of mental health and substance abuse challenges.

A longtime resident of Mercer Island, Russell’s life included remarkable accomplishments in basketball, coaching and civil rights. He was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Obama in 2011.