Highlights of National Recovery Month:
PRCC and RCC’s across Maine shine a light on recovery.
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Hundreds of people turned out for Portland Recovery Community Center’s 10th Annual Rally 4 Recovery.
The community rallied in Portland in recognition of National Recovery Month to show their support for people in recovery, spread hope, and spotlight community organizations that work together to help people recover from substance use disorder.
Over 50 businesses and organizations were on site to share resources to help individuals and families learn about substance use disorder and where to get help. It was a beautiful day that featured guest speakers, a DJ, food trucks, kid’s activities, and the highly anticipated recovery countdown.
“The reason for this is to show people recovery is real and possible, by sharing the visuals of others going through it, to give people hope for themselves,” PRCC Executive Director Leslie Clark told the Portland Press Herald/Maine Sunday Telegram.
PRCC extends a big thank you to all the volunteers and sponsors who helped make the Rally 4 Recovery a great success.
The Family Restored also held its annual softball tournament in Payson Park the same morning. The Family Restored raised over $16,000, exceeding their initial fundraising goal.
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Photos by Heather Durgin.
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Lakes Region Recovery Center celebrates 5th anniversary and recovery remembrance rally.
About 165 people turned out for Lakes Region Recovery Center’s Recovery Remembrance Rally.
The community rallied on Sept 9 in Bridgton to celebrate its five-year anniversary and honor those lost to substance use disorder. The event featured a Back to the 80’s theme with music, speakers, food, a pie eating contest, and lots of fun.
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WMARI and The Hills Recovery Center celebrate 7th annual Western Maine Recovery Rally.
More than 80 people marched, held signs, and cheered from The Hills Recovery Center on Tannery Street to Moore Park, where people gathered to shine a light on recovery. There was food, speakers, music, and kid's activities. Many people visited the beautiful butterfly memorial, honoring the 716 Maine lives lost to overdose last year.
“It was a day of celebration, remembrance, and community coming together for a common goal,” said Kari Taylor, director of The HILLS Recovery Center. “We are incredibly grateful to our volunteers, sponsors, and the recovery community. Our speakers were vulnerable and shared from their hearts, and everyone in attendance felt that. I am constantly amazed by the people in Western Maine and their unwavering support for addiction recovery.”
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Bangor Area Recovery Network celebrates recovery at Recovery Palooza
Hundreds of people turned out for the Bangor Area Recovery Network’s
Recovery Palooza event on Sept. 23 at Bangor Waterfront.
People enjoyed live music from The Real Young Swagg, Myles Bullen, The Honeybees, and Bad Corner. There were speakers, food, and fun for the whole family.
“It's safe to say that 2023 Recovery Palooza was a complete success,” said Erica Oliveira, community outreach specialist at Bangor Area Recovery Network. “As we sit here reflecting on the event and how the day unfolded, we are filled with much gratitude, hope, love, healing, and connection. What a beautiful moment, having our community together to celebrate recovery and all the wonderful things we are all doing to support that. None of this would be possible without ALL OF YOU!”
Photos below courtesy of Harmonious Frames Photography.
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PRCC spent the afternoon at the 1st. Annual Sanford Recovery Rally, organized by Enso Recovery Maine. There were resource tables, food, and fun. It was a great opportunity to meet so many in our community.
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There was a great turn out at Inspire Recovery Center’s barbecue party.
Many people came together to enjoy great food and fellowship.
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PRCC, other recovery community centers participate in National Day of Service
Portland Recovery Community Center is proud to share that dozens of people pitched in to clean up the neighborhood as part of Mobilize Recovery National Day of Service.
“Our Side of the Street,” was held Saturday at PRCC, 102 Bishop St. in Portland. The event was part of a Mobilize Recovery National Day of Service and was initiated by PRCC in partnership with the Maine Association of Recovery Residences and other recovery community centers to help clean up trash in local neighborhoods.
This event is a literal interpretation of “cleaning-up our side of the street” and giving back to the communities where we live.
“We are proud to join our communities throughout the state and nation to show "what recovery looks like" in action,” said Leslie Clark, executive director of PRCC.
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PRCC, in partnership with Pinetree Institute, receives Maine Recovery Friendly Workplace grant.
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Youth Substance Use Prevention Month
The Recovery Research Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital is creating a new National Center for Youth Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery to help address the growing health problem of youth substance use disorder.
To highlight the opening of the new Youth Center, the Recovery Research Institute released a series of research articles that focus on recovery for youth and young adults. Here are some of those articles.
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S.E.E.D, Students Empowered to End Dependency
S.E.E.D, Students Empowered to End Dependency, is holding a community forum on addiction, recovery, and the dangers of high-potency marijuana at 6 p.m. Oct. 24 at Brunswick High School, 71 Dragon Dr. in Brunswick.
This event, Understanding High-Potency THC, is designed for students, parents, and educators. There will be a panel of speakers including Jay Orser, a Yarmouth High School graduate in recovery, Madison Friend, S.E.E.D program manager in recovery, Geno Ring, a substance use counselor at Brunswick High, and a doctor who specializes in addiction and recovery.
Since January, S.E.E.D has hosted similar panel discussions about the dangers of high-potency cannabis at more than dozen high schools and public events across Maine. Click here to watch a presentation at Scarborough High School in April. S.E.E.D also gave a powerful presentation at Gov. Mills Annual Opioid Summit on July 20. You can view the presentation, here.
S.E.E.D was founded by Dave and Karen Packhem after learning their son struggled to stop drinking. They started researching and studying addiction, and in 2020 started S.E.E.D, a nonprofit that provides prevention education through storytelling.
S.E.E.D produced two seasons of “Voices of Hope…The Rugged Road to Recovery,” which aired on Maine Public TV. Edited versions of some of the episodes are currently being used as education tools in classrooms and at treatment centers. To view the episodes, and learn more about S.E.E.D, go to https://seedmaine.org.
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Larry Labonte Recovery Center recovery coaches supporting local youth.
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Larry Labonte Recovery Center in Rumford is proud to share that two recovery coaches are providing support to local students and incarcerated individuals.
Lauren Leonard is training to become a Registered Recovery Coach.
Lauren will provide peer support to those seeking help to begin their recovery journey at the center.
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Sam Cummings is a Registered Recovery Coach and Recovery Coach Coordinator. She provides recovery coaching at Mountain Valley Middle School, Mountain Valley High School, Dirigo Middle School and Dirigo High School. Sam said one of the schools she visits is implementing recovery coaching as an alternative to suspension if a student is caught vaping, using marijuana, etc. in school.
“Students are required to meet with me for six weeks, but the majority of them choose to continue meeting with me even after the six week requirement is met,” Sam said. “I feel like it'is a huge asset to students because I’m a person who can offer support and help them come up with solutions."
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Upcoming Events:
Need to build a resume to land the job you want? We got you covered.
Suzanne Posey, a vocational rehabilitation specialist, is offering free sessions to help people create a resume, sharpen intervew skills, and more.
Drop-in sessions will be held will be held from 2 to 4 p.m., and vocational group work will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays at Portland Recovery Community Center, 102 Bishop St. in Portland. For more info, give us a call at 207-553-2575.
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Join Western Maine Addiction Recovery Initiative and The Hills Recovery Center for two family-friendly outdoor recovery events at Bryant Pond 4H Camp in October.
A fishing outing will be held Oct. 7. The fishing gear and snacks will be provided. A wilderness survival lesson will be held on Oct. 14.
If you need help getting there, please reach out to aaronryder@wmari.org. For more info and to sign up, please scan the QR Code.
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Halloween is almost here!
Bangor Area Recovery Network is looking for volunteers for its Trunk or Treat event from 2 to 5 p.m. on Oct. 28 at BARN, 142 Center St. in Brewer.
Join BARN for a fun and spectacular Halloween Dance at 8:45 p.m. Oct. 28 at 142 Center St. A prize will be given for best consume. The cost is $5.
Lakes Region Recovery Center, 2 Elm St. in Bridgton, is looking for donations of candy for the 1,500 kids who stop by the center for Halloween.
You can stop by the center anytime between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. to drop off candy. For more info, go to lrrcbridgton.org.
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PRCC attends Wellbriety All Addictions Recovery Gathering: Healing the Hurts
PRCC is proud to share that Justin Reid, the Statewide Recovery Coach Coordinator for the recovery hub at PRCC, attended the Wellbriety All Addictions Recovery Gathering: Healing the Hurts in September in Pheonix, Arizona.
Justin learned about generational trauma, Wellbriety, Medicine Wheel & 12 Steps, and the traditional ceremonies of Native and Indigenous peoples.
Angela Walker, the Recovery Justice Coach Coordinator at Bangor Area Recovery Network, also attended the event. Both Justin and Angela look forward to bringing what they’ve learned back to Mainers in the spirit of healing and recovery. Justin said the gathering was unlike any conference he attended.
“The combination of cultural history, traditional ceremonial, practices, and variety of recovery pathways represented allowed for an incredible experience to take place,” Justin said. “The allowance for my participation in this gathering was a true blessing.”
During the opening ceremony, Don Coyhis, founder, president, and chairman of the board of White Bison, was honored. Recently, Don announced he is stepping down from his post.
“Since founding White Bison 35 years ago, Don's contributions to Indigenous individuals are immeasurable and will be carried on through the Wellbriety movement for generations to come,” Justin said.
- PRCC offers Wellbriety – Four Directions from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursdays at PRCC, 102 Bishop St. in Portland.
- BARN hosts a Wellbriety meeting from 4:30-5:30 p.m. on Thursdays at 142 Center St. in Brewer.
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NEW MEETINGS!
Lakes Region Recovery Center, 2 Elm St. in Bridgton, announced the following new meetings.
- Mental Health Matters, 9 to 10 a.m. Thursdays starting Oct. 26.
- Caring Companions, 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays.
- Teen Talk Line Tuesday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Call (207) 291-0086.
- Alternatives to Suicide, 2 p.m. Tuesday, October 3, 17, and 31.
- Teen SMART Recovery meeting, 7 p.m. Thursdays.
All services are free of charge. For more info about the center, check out their Facebook page, LRRC.
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PRCC is hiring!
The recovery movement is expanding to York County and we are hiring!
Portland Recovery Community Center is hiring a program manager for the new Sanford Recovery Community Center.
The Program Manager will manage and oversees the daily operations and recovery support services of Sanford Recovery Community Center, SRCC. In this role, the Program Manager is responsible for establishing a safe and welcoming environment at SRCC, assuring a recovery-focused tone and culture, and for the collection and reporting of accurate data regarding utilization and outcomes.
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Building Recovery Community Throughout Maine
This newsletter allows us to connect with you, our Maine recovery community. Whether you're a person in recovery, family member, or ally, you are part of the solution to addiction. Published on a regular basis and sent via email, this newsletter provides updates and gives you an opportunity to help support recovery and spread the message of hope throughout the state of Maine. To learn more about PRCC, whose programs are funded in part by the Maine Department of Health & Human Services, visit our website. Please send any feedback or information you'd like us to include to newsletter@portlandrecovery.org.
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PORTLAND RECOVERY COMMUNITY CENTER portlandrecovery.org |
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