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WRA joined forces with over 700 individuals celebrating recovery at the Recovery Happens rally on September 13th. It was an amazing turn out and an amazing day for the community to celebrate the people and services making healthy and rewarding lives possible.
This event is part of National Recovery Month and was made possible with the help of the Recovery Happens Planning Committee, the Community Recovery Coalition, SMC Probation, clients/consumers and individuals in long-term recovery.
DAILY JOURNAL
Hundreds march for recovery
September 14, 2011, 03:19 AM By Chris Cooney Bay City News Service
Andrew Scheiner/Daily Journal
San Mateo’s Hope House took part in this year’s Recovery Happens celebration in Redwood City.
Hundreds of San Mateo County residents in long-term recovery programs serving substance abuse addicts and mental health patients were in Redwood City Tuesday celebrating “Recovery Month.”
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors officially declared September Recovery Month in recognition of the many treatment programs available to county residents who are struggling with issues such as drug or alcohol abuse, mental illness and unemployment.
The theme of this year’s Recovery Happens celebration, which coincides with National Recovery Month, was “Join the Voices for Recovery: Recovery Benefits Everyone.”
Dozens of participants gathered in the Board of Supervisors’ chambers and outside the county buildings this morning wearing “Recovery Happens” T-shirts and carrying signs that read “Hope Not Dope” and “Courage to Change the Things I Can.”
Ivette Torres, associate director of consumer affairs for the U.S. Center for Substance Abuse Treatment in Washington, D.C., said that one of the goals of Tuesday’s events — which included a rally, walk and picnic in Red Morton Park — is to increase visibility, educational opportunities and acceptance of recovering addicts in the community.
“Recovery doesn’t just benefit the individual,” Torres said. “It benefits families, it benefits the community, it benefits everyone.”
A former addict named Sue, who said she was a drug addict living in some bushes in East Palo Alto for more than 20 years, credited the county’s Women’s Recovery Association, Voices of Recovery and other programs with helping her confront her addictions and leave a life of homelessness.
“Because of Voices of Recovery, today I have a life,” Sue said.
Stephen Kaplan, director of the Health System’s Alcohol and Other Drug Services division, said that more than 2,700 San Mateo County residents are treated annually in substance abuse programs supported by the county.
Superior Court Judge Richard Livermore praised the county’s Drug Court program, which gives individuals facing criminal charges for drug use and possession the chance to avoid jail time by entering treatment programs.
Defendants who successfully comply with Drug Court’s rigid requirements of drug testing, substance abuse counseling and recovery program participation become “graduates,” and their criminal charges can be dismissed or reduced.
The Drug Court programs seek to bring recovery to the forefront of addressing drug and alcohol-related cases in the criminal justice system, Livermore said.
“I’ve spent 16 years as a Drug Court judge,” Livermore said. “I always tell people ‘You’re lucky you got busted in San Mateo County.’”
Link: http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=167375&title=Hundreds%20march%20for%20recovery
Join us at the 3rd Annual Recovery Happens in San Mateo County Walk and Picnic
Tuesday, September 13 · 7:30am – 3:00pm
Join Women’s Recovery Association as we celebrate National Recovery Month and participate in the Recovery Happens walk and picnic. Meet up in the morning to see the Board of Supervisors make the Recovery Happens Month proclamation and then hit the streets with hundred of others for the a colorful march to Red Morton Park for a picnic and BBQ!
The San Mateo County Board of Supervisors will declare September “Recovery Month” to raise awareness about substance use and mental health disorders, celebrate individuals in long-term recovery, and acknowledge the work of treatment and recovery service providers. This year’s theme, “Join the Voices for Recovery: Recovery Benefits Everyone,” highlights the benefits of treatment and recovery for not only individuals, but for their families, friends, workplace, and community, and coincides with National Recovery Month. Join the Annual Recovery Walk and Picnic, where a rally will be held in honor of individuals who have entered into treatment for substance use and mental health disorders and begun the journey to wellness and recovery. WRA is proud to be part of this event made possible by the Community Recovery Coalition.
DETAILS:
7:30 am – Kickoff Begins:
Coffee & snacks at Bridges Program
Location: 680 Warren Street, Redwood City
9:00 am – Making it Official:
Board of Supervisors “Recovery Happens Month” Proclamation
Location: Hall of Justice, 400 County Center, Redwood City
9:45 am – Hit the Streets:
March to Red Morton Park
11:00 – 3:00 pm – BBQ picnic, games, music and raffle prizes!
Guest Speaker: Roland Williams
Emcee: Rich Ayala
Location: Red Morton Park, 1455 Madison Ave., Redwood City
Speakers:
Keynote: Roland Williams, President and CEO, VIP Recovery Coaching and Free Life Enterprises
Supervisor Rose Jacobs Gibson, San Mateo County Board of Supervisors
Ivette Torres, Associate Director of Consumer Affairs, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)
Richard Ayala, President/Founder of Bound to Change Inc., Emcee
Stephen Kaplan, Director Behavioral Health and Recovery Services
Jim Stansberry, Co-Founder Project Ninety
Reverend Mary Frazier, Bread of Life Evangelistic Outreach
Adrian Jenkins, Recovering Individual
Sue Simmons, Voices of Recovery member
Nikki Adams, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services
John De Miranda, California State Representative of Faces and Voices of Recovery
Agencies Represented:
Voices of Recovery, San Mateo County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services, Alcohol and Other Drug Services; Community Recovery Collation; Asian American Recovery Services; Free At Last; El Centro de Libertad; Our Common Ground; Project Ninety, Inc.; Pyramid Alternatives; San Mateo County Methadone Clinic; Service League of San Mateo County; Sitike Counseling Center; Star-Vista; The Latino Commission; Women’s Recovery Association; Homeless Veteran Emergency Housing Facility; and other community partners.
For more information, contact:
www.voicesofrecovery-sm.org
650.630.4211
Google Map, click here.
Welcome to Women’s Recovery Association’s first e-newsletter! We are very excited to reach out to our network of recovery partners, current and potential funders and community supporters with this dynamic and informative channel. This inaugural edition will focus on 2010 program highlights, clients’ success stories and a full calendar of WRA programs and special events for 2011. We are also launching a new more interactive website, and updated marketing materials for 2011.
A mother and daughter’s story of triumph over adversity and a family’s recovery from addiction – WRA is proud to present an author’s breakfast featuring the bestselling authors of The Lost Years, Kristina Wandzilak and Constance Curry.
Thursday, Sept 29th 2011 at 8:00 am at the Four Season’s Hotel – Silicon Valley.
For more information and early registration click here.
For Sponsorship opportunities please email events@womensrecovery.org
This year’s statewide conference for the California Department of Alcohol and Drug Programs took place in Sacramento from October 12-14, 2010 with a full agenda of informative topics. WRA’s Christina Todaro, Program Director, Candace Yokoyama, Recovery Coach, and Bryn King, WRA consultant, presented on the Pilot Project and its impact on the agency and client care.
“Recovery Happens” in San Mateo County and this year it happened on September 14th. September was National Alcohol and Drug Recovery Month and in San Mateo County the culmination of this special observance was WRA’s “Recovery Happens,” a day of recognition and celebration when providers and clients throughout the county gathered together to acknowledge the need for substance abuse education and outreach in our community. To express this year’s theme, “Now More Than Ever,” the women of WRA decorated banners and signs that they proudly carried as they marched from the Board of Supervisors’ meeting to Red Morton Park in Redwood City. At the park, approximately 350 people enjoyed an afternoon of food, games, speakers, music and celebration emceed by WRA Executive Director Linda Carlson.
WRA was invited to submit a manuscript on the Pilot Project for a special issue of the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs: http://journalofpsychoactivedrugs.com/Tableofcontents/sarc6.html.
On September 24-26, over 50 WRA clients, alumnae, children, and staff made their way to McConnell State Recreation Area on the banks of the Merced River just outside of Turlock for the 14th annual WRA Alumnae and Client Campout Weekend. For some of the women, it was the first time they had ever been camping. Perhaps the best part of the weekend was having alumni stay connected to WRA. Chelsea, who attended last year as a client and this year as an alumnae, commented on “how it was a great way to get everyone together and share an outside experience.” Attending this year as an alumna gave her the opportunity to mentor and support the women currently in treatment, “because I know exactly where they have been and just how much they can achieve.”
