Dear friends,
Throughout Maine, individuals, communities, and government continue to grapple with the effects of substance use and the loss of people from the surge of fentanyl laced into other opioids and almost every kind of drug on the street. Countless families have been left torn apart. Overdoses remain the most prevalent cause of accidental deaths in the U.S. fueling the epidemic that has ravaged our country.
To commemorate those lost to overdose, PRCC and other recovery community centers throughout the state are holding events on Black Balloon Day, and remembering our loved ones in a series of gatherings. We seek to honor our loved ones, support survivors, and continue to raise awareness and work for resources to prevent future deaths.
I hope you will join some of these events around the state, and as a call to action, contact your local and state representatives to thank them for their tireless work, share your story, and advocate for resources and recovery supports for families and communities.
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With peace and kindness,
Leslie Clark, Executive Director
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2023 Black Balloon Day Events across Maine |
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March 6 is Black Balloon Day, an annual event dedicated to honoring and celebrating lives lost to overdose. Black Balloon Day was started by a Massachusetts family, who hung black balloons outside their house in memory of Greg Tremblay, 38, a father of four who died of a drug overdose in 2015. |
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PRCC: Black Balloon Day Remembrance Gathering, 12-1 p.m. March 5 at PRCC, 102 Bishop St. in Portland. PRCC invites you to contribute a remembrance rock to the center. For more info, call (207) 553-2575.
Bangor Area Recovery Network: The center, 142 Center St. in Brewer, is providing black balloons in their lobby with a silver marker for people to write the names of loved ones lost to an overdose. For more info, call (207) 945-8093.
Roads to Recovery Community Center: The community will gather at 3 p.m. March 5 at 1 Water St. in Caribou to help remember those lost to an overdose. Black balloons will be provided with an index card to place your loved one’s name. For questions, call (207) 493-1278.
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Lakes Region Recovery Center: In recognition of Black Balloon Day, the center will hang a banner with names of people lost to overdoses during the month of March. For more info, call (207) 803-8707.
Save a Life Recovery Resource Center: The community is invited to plant a flower in memory of a loved one lost to an overdose from 5 to 6:30 p.m. March 6 at 19 VFW St. in Lincoln. For more info, call (207) 403-9100.
Recover2gether: The third annual memorial to honor the lives lost to overdoses will be held from 3 to 6 p.m. March 5 at First Parish Church, 425 Congress St. in Portland.
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River Valley Recovers Strong is holding a rally to support recovery in the community.
The rally starts at 1 p.m. March 11 at Larry Labonte Recovery Center, 412 Waldo St. in Rumford.
The event includes guest speakers and a free BBQ lunch. For more info, call (207) 357-1751.
Pir2Peer Recovery Center is holding a walk starting at 10 a.m. March 6 at Veterans Memorial Park and ending at the recovery center, 2323 Medway Rd. Medway. Participants will hand out black balloons and collect donations. A candlelight vigil will begin at 6 p.m. For more info, call (207) 447-9500.
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Recovery Community Centers across Maine
providing Naloxone access and training.
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The Hills Recovery Center, 15 Tannery St. Norway. For more info, (207) 744-2424. |
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DownEast Recovery Support Center: 11 Free St. Machias; For more info, (207) 259-6238.
INSPIRE Recovery Center: 24 Church St. Ellsworth. For more info, call (207) 412-2288.
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Aroostook Recovery Center of Hope: Next training, 1 p.m. March 17 at 106 Main St. in Houlton. For more info, call (207) 254-2213 or email, gspelta@amhc.org.
Augusta Recovery Reentry Center: 2 Bangor St. For more info, call (207) 226-3438.
Bangor Area Recovery Network: 142 Center St. Brewer. For more info, call (207) 561-9444.
Bath Recovery Community Center: 15 Vine St. For more info, (207) 389-4937.
Coastal Recovery Community Center: 11 White St. Rockland. For more info, (207) 691-3697.
DownEast Recovery Support Center: 311 Main St. Calais. For more info, (207) 952-9279.
Save a Life Recovery Resource Center, 19 VFW St. Lincoln. For more info, (207) 403-9100.
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Things to do... Spring is almost here. |
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PRCC is hosting Game Night featuring The Unplugged Arcade with Sean Sickle.
The fun starts at 2 p.m. March 12 at PRCC, 102 Bishop St. in Portland.
The Unplugged Arcade is the first-of-its-kind, mobile entertainment company that travels around New England and provides fun and games for parties and events. The games and activities are screen free, keeping guests interacting with each other.
The event is co-sponsored by Journey Magazine. Doors open at 1 p.m. with a potluck. To sign up to bring a dish to share, go to: Potluck sign up.
For more information, call (207) 553-2575 or go to PRCC.
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Bangor Area Recovery Network:
Come join the BARN Community Garden. A meeting was held on March 1 at BARN, 142 Center St. in Brewer. For more info, call (207) 945-8093.
Join BARN for the launch of the ME-RAP Youth Caucus from 3 to 5 p.m. March 19 at 142 Center St. in Brewer.
The event features a film screening of “Recovery in Maine: Youth Voices,” followed by a youth-led conversation about how young people are impacted by substance use, recovery, and overdoses, and what they want adults to do about it. To register, go to www.tinyurl.com/ME-RAPYouthLaunchatBARN.
Costal Recovery Community Center is holding a family-friendly St. Patrick’s Day event from 3 to 7 p.m. March 17 at 11 White St. in Rockland.
The event will feature Irish crafts, activities for kids, prizes, and food.
The 23rd annual Northeast Fellowship of the Spirit Conference will be held March 24 to 26 at Holiday Inn by the Bay in Portland.
NEFOTS was created to carry the message of recovery from alcoholism through the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous. The conference is open to all who seek recovery.
For more information and to register, go to nefots.org.
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Emily Davis promoted to Program Manager at PRCC |
PRCC is excited to share that Emily Davis has accepted a new position as Program Manager at PRCC.
In her new role, Emily will manage and oversee PRCC’s daily operations and recovery support services. She will supervise the day-to-day activities at PRCC, and contribute to the development and implementation of organizational strategies, policies, and practices that support PRCC’s mission.
Emily joined PRCC in February 2022 as a volunteer coordinator, where she led planning for events including PRCC’s annual Rally for Recovery. She previously served as a volunteer and liaison to Operation HOPE working with the Scarborough Police Department.
Emily says she is honored and excited to take on this new role.
“I am grateful to continue my work at PRCC as Program Manager," Emily said. "I have been witness to many incredible experiences here. The enthusiasm and effort our volunteers, members and staff bring here blows me away. We have the best volunteers in the world! I myself, have found recovery in Portland, and am proud to work at a place that supports many pathways to recovery. I’m excited to expand PRCC’s outreach across the state – so more people with SUD and their loved ones have access to much needed resources.”
Emily holds a degree in business management from Fisher College in Boston. She spent five years working for an International Corporate Retailer in Manhattan. Emily has been in recovery since 2021 and is passionate about helping people in recovery. She previously managed a woman’s sober house and co-founded several start-ups companies in Maine.
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Operation HOPE Update
Portland Recovery Community Center has found a way to keep HOPE alive.
PRCC, in partnership with Cumberland County, will continue serving people seeking help for addiction and resources for recovery housing. Starting March 1, PRCC staff will be available to meet with participants from 9 a.m. to noon on Mondays and Thursdays.
PRCC is planning to hire a staff member for Operation HOPE. We will post details soon on our Facebook page.
For more information, call (207) 553-2575 or go to PRCC.
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Becoming financially self-supporting and responsible with money is an important part of recovery. And this time of year, when the focus is on taxes, it’s a good opportunity to examine what financial responsibility means to you.
Creating positive behaviors around money, such as having regular income, setting aside savings, paying debts, and paying bills on time is an important part of having financial security. So, whether you have a refund coming or owe the government money, preparing and filing your 2023 federal and state taxes by April 18 is a great step forward.
If the thought of filing your taxes makes you break out in a cold sweat, you are not alone. It doesn’t have to be complicated. The key is getting organized. The first step is to gather your tax documents. You will need any W-2s, 1099s, mortgage interest statements, investment income statements, and charitable contribution statements.
For more info, call 1-800-649-3495 or send an email to info@tcfcu.com. To read the full article, go to PRCC.
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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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