Dear Friends,
The 4th of July is all about celebrating freedom. Those of us in recovery can relate personally, because being free from addiction is a worth celebrating every day. The 4th of July also happens to be one of the biggest days of the year for alcohol sales. It is estimated that over 1 billion dollars is spent on beer alone for this annual holiday.
In this month’s newsletter, you will get a glimpse of how the recovery community is celebrating with sober events. Here are a few tips if you’re wondering how to get through the holiday and keep your recovery up front and priority.
Host an alcohol-free gathering. Hotdogs, hamburgers, and watermelon are 4th of July traditions. Throw in mocktails or sun tea (if the sun ever comes out again!) and you’ve got a simple, festive party.
Start your day with a meeting or a visit to your local recovery community center. Whether your pathway is 12-step or another approach, there are lots of meetings happening online and in person. Connect with others and keep your recovery the most important part of the day.
Make some calls. Okay, nobody (well, hardly anyone) ever really feels comfortable picking up the phone to call another person in recovery, but what a difference it makes. It will make a difference in lifting your mood, and in lifting the person’s day at the other end of the line. Texting is great, but try actually calling and having a conversation. It’s as simple as, “I’m calling to say hi, and wish you a happy 4th of July.”
Help someone else. Service is the heart of our recovery values. There are so many ways to help, whether it’s in the recovery community or in your neighborhood. Simple things like picking up trash (there will be plenty left strewn after the fireworks,) returning grocery carts to their rightful place, or letting someone in front of you in traffic, the grocery line, or the drive-through. And if you can afford it, pay for the coffee for the person behind you in line.
Head to the park and enjoy the festivities. If you have friends in recovery to go along, that’s great. But, you can always go alone, too. Enjoy the music and kids playing. Don’t isolate!
Last, if you are going to be at a party or fireworks and you know that alcohol or drugs will be around you, there are some ways to protect your recovery. Drive your own car so you can leave. Bring your own drinks so that you have something you enjoy. Bring another friend in recovery and let your recovery coach or sponsor know you’re going to be in that situation so that you have support.
Enjoy the 4th and keep celebrating freedom.
Kindly,
Leslie Clark, Executive Director
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PRCC to attend annual Opioid Response Summit |
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Portland Recovery Community Center is happy to share that Governor Janet Mills 5th Annual Opioid Response Summit will be held from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 20 at Cross Insurance Arena in Portland.
The summit will bring together speakers, recovery community centers, recovery advocates, and leaders across Maine to share ideas and strategies to help Mainers affected by the opioid epidemic.
The summit will feature keynote speakers including Carlton Hall, prevention science expert, chief executive officer of Carlton Hall Counseling, LLC; Alison Jones Webb, recovery advocate and author of Recovery Allies; and Elizabeth Connolly, assistant director of the Office of Public Health, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy.
There will be 20 breakout sessions covering a variety of topics including prevention, treatment, harm-reduction, and recovery support.
Topics for the breakout sessions include:
- Strengthening the opioid use disorder workforce: Findings from a multi-state survey of peer recovery coaches.
- Updates on harm-reduction efforts in the state.
- SUD-related Legislation in the 131st Legislature.
- How will Maine’s opioid settlement dollars be utilized and the work of the Maine Recovery Council.
- Promoting SUD treatment in primary care.
To see the full list, click here. PRCC staff and volunteers will be on hand helping attendees find breakout sessions. At the start of each session, a person in recovery will share their story of hope for recovery. PRCC is honored to help organize recovery voices from greater Portland and throughout Maine to share their hope and experience.
Other presenters include Gov. Janet Mills, Gordon Smith, director of Opioid Response; Yngvild K. Olsen, M.D., M.P.H., director for the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment; and Sarah Squirrell, director of the Maine Office of Behavioral Health.
To register for the summit, click here.
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PRCC launches Pathways of Hope |
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Portland Recovery Community Center, in partnership with Cumberland County Public Health Department has launched Pathways of Hope, a program that provides support to people with substance use disorder by connecting them with residential treatment or recovery housing as an alternative to the criminal justice system.
Pathways of Hope program at PRCC, replaces Operation HOPE, which was discontinued by Scarborough Police Department earlier this year. Scarborough police in partnership with PRCC, founded Operation HOPE in 2015 in response to the growing number of overdose deaths in Southern Maine, and a desire for law enforcement to be a part of helping people find treatment and recovery.
Thanks to a $365,000 grant from the Maine Department of Public Safety and leadership from Cumberland County, PRCC is building on the success of Operation Hope and offering Pathways of Hope to continue helping those in need of treatment and recovery housing.
In 2022, there were more than 2,000 drug overdoses in Cumberland County and 130 overdose deaths, the highest of any county in the state. People released from prison or jail to the community are up to 40 times more likely to die of an opioid overdose than the general population, especially within the first few weeks after reentering the community.
"We are proud to partner with Cumberland County to help people with substance use disorder obtain treatment and recovery housing,” Leslie Clark, executive director of Portland Recovery Community Center. “The need is greater than ever. People seeking help with addiction can come to PRCC and we will help them navigate treatment options. We are grateful for the County’s support, which is helping meet this critical need and undoubtedly save lives.”
PRCC recently hired Brianna Ebling as the resource navigator for Pathways of Hope. Bri is a public health recovery advocate, who first came to PRCC as a member over a year ago. She assists people seeking placement for residential treatment or recovery housing and connects them to support services at PRCC or their local recovery community center. She works with participants from the time of placement and continues to follow-up and offer additional support where needed.
“I feel so honored and grateful to have this amazing opportunity to work and give back in the community where I began my recovery journey,” Bri said. “Receiving an Operation Hope scholarship gave me the chance to get where I am today. As a person in recovery, my life has become so full and rewarding. I now get to be of service and show others this is possible, and we do recover!”
The Pathways of Hope program is strengthened by partnerships with police departments across Cumberland County and Behavioral Health Liaisons embedded within those departments, who interact with and divert people with substance use disorder to PRCC.
People seeking help with addiction can meet with Bri at PRCC, located at 102 Bishop St. in Portland. For more information, call 207-553-2575 or go to PRCC.
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UPDATE: LD: 1714 passed the House and Senate! |
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LD 1714, An Act to Create a Sustainable Funding Source for Recovery Community Centers passed the House and Senate! It’s now in the Appropriations Committee for consideration.
As a reminder, LD 1714 proposes the creation of a Recovery Community Centers Fund that is funded using 12% of the tax revenue from Adult Use Cannabis sales to provide additional funding to Maine’s recovery community centers (RCCs).
Recovery advocates and RCCs across the state have been working hard to call on the Maine legislature to pass and fund LD 1714. If you would like to continue helping with this legislation, you can send an email or call members of the Appropriations Committee. A list of committee members is found here.
When you call, identify yourself as a person in recovery or an ally, and tell them how important your local recovery community center is to you and in your community. You should emphasize that this funding will help communities throughout Maine, and end on a note of thanks. Keep it real and brief.
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RCC’s celebrate the July 4th. |
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Many recovery community centers are celebrating July 4 by walking in parades in their communities and participating in festivities. Have some fun, laugh, and enjoy good food with family and friends.
Here’s a great article by the Herren Project that offers tips on how to stay safe and sober this Fourth of July. To read the article, click here.
Come celebrate the Fourth of July with Bangor Area Recovery Network, 142 Center St. in Brewer.
BARN is participating in the parade starting at 8:45 a.m. at the sports field in Brewer. The festivities and fun continue from 1:30 to 7:30 p.m. at BARN with an All Recovery Speaker Jam, barbeque, and dance. The entry fee is $5. For more info, go to BARN.
Pir2Peer Recovery Center is participating in the Fourth of July parade at 10 a.m. on Central Street in Millinocket.
To walk with the center in the parade, call (207) 447-9500.
Lakes Region Recovery Center is participating in the Fourth of July parade in Bridgton.
In recent weeks, members of the recovery center have been painting a mural on the side of the Food City Building in Bridgton. The mural will be dedicated around 7:30 a.m. before the 47th Annual 4 on the Fourth Road Race starts. To sign up, go to 4 on the 4th.
PRCC will be open for its regular hours and meetings. To check the schedule, go to Portlandrecovery.org or call 207-553-2575.
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Bath Recovery Community Center is offering FREE arts and humanities classes for people in all stages of recovery and affected others. The goal of the project is to reduce stigma, provide a safe healing environment, and educate the public.
To register, call 207-443-8255 or 207-729-7323.
Pir2Peer Recovery Center is bringing back its popular Grab and Go supper, which begins at 4 p.m. on July 26 at the center, 2323 Medway Rd. in Medway.
Members will be handing out spaghetti, salad, bread, and dessert. The cost is free, but donations are appreciated.
For more info, call (207) 447-9500.
The HILLS Recovery Center is thrilled to offer free yoga/meditation sessions at 8 a.m. on Wednesdays at 15 Tannery St. in Norway. The first session is scheduled for July 12.
This is a weekly beginner session. No previous yoga experience is needed.
To register, go to WMARI.
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New meetings/groups at PRCC |
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Al Anon Parents’ Group will meet from 6 to 7:15 p.m. on Wednesdays at PRCC, 102 Bishop St. in Portland. |
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Reiki with Brandi is offered from noon to 2 p.m. on Mondays. |
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The Courage Group MARA (Medication-Assisted Recovery Anonymous) is held from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. |
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Portland Recovery Community Center is offering a CARR Recovery Coach Basics virtual class from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Aug. 11.
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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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