Recovery Takes Flight 2010

The events kicked off National Recovery Month and accomplished our goals of raising awareness about recovery, fostering goodwill in our communities and with our clients and referring professionals, and raising exposure for CRC Health Group and its treatment facilities.

We thank you all for your continued support of this annual event - without your help, this meaningful celebration would not be possible. From coordinating the balloons and helium, to organizing staff and patients, to inviting guests, to ordering refreshments, all facilities came together to create one big, successful event that serves as a symbol of hope to those in recovery. The simple message "treatment works" transcended throughout the day.

Some of the clever ways you celebrated:

Bowling Green Brandywine had patients read quotes pertaining to recovery and then held hands and recited the serenity prayer. Nancy Powell, Clinical Director, said "Recovery Takes Flight means one simple word to me: unity. It is very symbolic." Ann Burke, Fiscal Manager, said "It brought me back to the true reality that I am part of changing people's lives!" Michelle Hayworth, Counselor, said "Recovery Takes Flight meant letting go of the past." And Amy Reeves, Admissions Counselor, said "Having all patients and all staff standing in a circle looking up at the sky as the balloons fly away is a very surreal moment. It is a huge moment of unity amongst everyone!"

Camp Recovery Center's event was attended by alumni, staff and patients as well as Jim Hudak, CRC Chief Operating Officer, and the new director of the NRC, Dale Demarest-Bryan. Patients shared their personal experiences of recovery and wrote on their balloons, either something they wanted to "let go" of, or something in memory of someone, and then all assembled and released their balloons. Said Intake Director Mary Clark, "It was a great success, with all feeling a sense of unity and gratitude."

Canyon Park Treatment Solutions celebrated their first Recovery Month in their new facility. Thirty patients, staff, and recovery community guests came together to barbecue and share prayers of hope and recovery.

Carolina Treatment Center of Fayetteville celebrated with 30 patients and staff. Each person shared a dedication to their balloon release. Some shared a dedication to themselves, their own recovery and/or in honor of a loved one.

Carolina Treatment Center of Goldsboro kicked off a month long celebration with an employee/patient barbeque event. Throughout the meal, raffle tickets were drawn for prizes that were collected from various local businesses by the employees of the clinic. All seven staff members and approximately 20-25 patients attended the event and enjoyed food, conversation and overall good feelings that come from sharing a collective experience. Counselor Tiffany Cordova then made a video of the event.

Carolina Treatment Center in Pinehurst enjoyed the balloon release that allowed staff and patients to honor someone who has been supportive or someone in their life who is deceased. The first names of the deceased were written on the balloons, then staff and patients had a moment of silence for them. As the staff and patients released the balloons they felt that they were releasing negative and pent up feelings that kept them from moving on in their lives.

Copper Canyon Academy's event featured two student speakers who shared with the community the effect recovery has had on their lives.

Cove Forge BHS Williamsburg's Adult Case Manager Rusty Long had shirts designed by one of their Chemical Dependency Technicians that said "Bubbles of Hope." The shirts were available for staff to purchase and came in an array of colors that matched the colors of the balloons that were released. Over 100 shirts were purchased and worn by staff. They started the day off with a staff and patient campus clean up project. They then participated in activities, had a picnic lunch, and released balloons. Rusty said, "Several of the patients approached staff saying they did not realize how much fun you can have being clean and sober! The staff said it was one of the most relaxing and enjoyable days they have had in a long time. Others said it was a meaningful way to relate and interact with those in recovery."

East Indiana Treatment Center's Tina Zint, Administrative Assistant, said "This event has grown to be an employee and patient favorite. As our patients release the balloons they feel they are releasing all past problems and are reaching for a brighter future. These bubbles of hope give them that opportunity that they may have not otherwise had."

Echo Malibu held a BBQ event that included their youth clients, staff, alumni, staff from sober living programs, Los Angeles Police Department EAP and an interventionist. Two speakers shared their recovery stories and Echo was honored by a proclamation from the City of Malibu, signed by the mayor, Jefferson Wagner, who thanked Echo for their efforts in treating addiction and behavioral problems with youth and families in Malibu for the past six years.

Evansville Treatment Center's Jim Ward, Executive Director, said "We had cookies brought in by staff, beverages, and sides throughout the day. At noon we did the gathering and launch."

Four Circles Recovery Center focused their celebration on praising staff for the tremendous work they do in helping young adults discover their individual paths to sustained recovery and kicked off Four Circles' fifth full year of operation. Said Shane Applegate, External Relations & Intake Counselor, "As we mature and our list of alumni grows, these events are growing for us as a wonderful opportunity to connect with the ones we serve."

Keystone Treatment Center's event included Sioux Falls Mayor Mike Huether along with Keystone Executive Director Carol Regier and other staff, patients and alumni who joined together at the Keystone outreach office and inpatient facility where more than 100 staff members and patients released balloons honoring those in the community who are in recovery. During the event, Mayor Huether read a proclamation and the event was covered by several local media outlets.

New Life Lodge had a full house with 198 attendees. The entire crowd did a countdown for the launching of the balloons and as the balloons rose into the sky, there was a large burst of applause and a lot of hugs and smiles.

Parkersburg Treatment Center provided refreshments and their Fun in Recovery group worked diligently on a hoping tree that was completed and displayed for all patients to see. The leaves of the tree were patients' hands that they traced and decorated to show their goals in recovery and dreams for their future.

Recovery Solutions of Santa Ana's Clinic Director Mariaelena Rebolledo said, "The team here at Santa Ana emphasizes that effective contingencies involve positive reinforcement and rewards. Celebrating Recovery Takes Flight with our patients here is a social reinforcement to praise their recovery."

River Shores Clinic took some of the balloons and decorated the doors of each office in the clinic. They also handed some out to patients and their children.

Sacramento Treatment Services/Southgate Clinic held an event at the state capitol. About 1500 people came throughout the day.

Sierra Tucson's patients and staff gathered in their "Field of Dreams" after lunch. They celebrated, honored, and remembered the patients, families, and staff who have been part of Sierra Tucson's treatment and recovery experience over the past 26 years. They held hands in a circle as part of a special blessing ceremony led by Wayne Zespy, Evening/Weekend Counselor. Each participant received a special stone with a word etched on it, words like peace, courage, miracle, joy, and love. Said Lila Duffy, Event Coordinator, "We finished with the Serenity Prayer, feeling fortunate not just to be among friends and colleagues, but to be connected with the recovery community."

Sober Living by the Sea's Executive Director Kathy Sylvia addressed the entire staff and thanked them for their service and dedication to the treatment of addiction. Kathy encouraged each and every member of the staff to spend the month of September thanking each other as well and appreciating the team effort that is employed by Sober Living by the Sea. The Sober Living by the Sea staff then went outside to let go of one symbolic balloon to commemorate the event. To conclude the ceremony, Kathy led the staff in the Serenity Prayer.

Starlite Recovery Center's Executive Director Amy Swetnam opened up the ceremony with a few words acknowledging recovery, family members, and past and present clients, including the twelve alumni who were in attendance. As the balloons were released, tears were shed by some of the attendees as they remembered a loved one taken by this disease or as they reflected back on their own experience and memories of what it has taken of them to where they are now in their own recovery. Some of the things clients shared is "I felt the balloons symbolized my addiction, as if it's been released and `gone.' I feel I can now start my journey" ... "I felt God's presence as we circled and said the Lord's prayer, that was AMAZING!"... "I now know what they mean by the `Spiritual Experience' every one has been talking about!".. "Those balloons symbolized my freedom from addiction, every single one of my addictions!" After the release, staff, clients, and alumni formed a circle by holding hands and said the Lord's prayer. Said Chavela Phillips, Alumni Coordinator, "THAT'S when I felt the tears trickling down my own cheeks, remembering friends and family I have lost to this disease, those who are strong in their recovery, and all those in the circle, how we came about being together, at that very moment. Nothing happens by accident! Thank you, for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this function!"

SunHawk Adolescent Recovery Center's event included music from one of their therapists, Josh Larson. One of the songs was about recovery and Operations Director Britani Brown said it "deeply touched everyone present." The release of the balloons brought huge smiles and some of the students wrote the name of someone else they would like to reach out to on their balloons.

SUWS of the Carolinas & Phoenix Outdoor staff came together to talk about the meaning of Recovery Takes Flight and about some of their students and families that they have helped set up for success. They also talked about what it meant as individuals that everyone is in some way in recovery.

Twelve Oaks hosted approximately 200 people including patients, family members, staff and alumni. They provided lunch under a large tent and had two speakers talk about their recovery experience. The first, Dan Carzoli, has 28 years in recovery, is the President of the Florida State Affiliate of NAADAC, is the consultant to the Island of Barbados on trauma and addiction, and has a private practice in Jacksonville, Florida that focuses on recovery coaching and consulting. The second speaker, Lewis Jones, has been in recovery for 13 years, manages a very successful half-way house in Pensacola, Florida and facilitates a group each week for Twelve Oaks' patients and alumni. Said Debbie Ates, Director of Operations, "Both speakers delivered very strong personal messages of what recovery means to them and their family members as well as giving hope and inspiration to those in attendance." The event was covered by their local paper, the Navarre Press.

White Deer Run Allenwood patients and staff let go of the balloons as a symbol of letting go of what was holding them back through their journey in recovery. A little before the release there was a "Clean Time Countdown" with the message of the day read by Dottie Singer, Alumni Coordinator, in honor of the 40 years that White Deer Run has been treating this disease. After the release, patients and staff ate lunch on the front lawn and played volleyball, horseshoe and bingo.

White Deer Run Regions 6 & 7 participated in the balloon release event with each facility - WDR of Blue Mt, New Perspectives of White Deer Run, Lebanon Treatment Center, WDR of York and WDR of Lancaster - designating a patient to speak about their recovery process thus far and how they arrived at the facilities. Balloons were then dedicated to themselves or a loved one in HOPE that recovery would find and stay with them. Melanie Irwin, Regional Office Manager, said "The event was a true testament of the level of commitment our staff have day in and day out to providing the highest level of care available to our patients and the patient's sincere dedication to break their cycle of addiction."

Williamson Treatment Center's Clinic Director Joe Chapman said they released balloons and "brought cake and pop for patients."

Keep up the great work and this message of hope!