Recovery Fair – Event at Bush Park

Recovery from addictions and mental illness were the main topics at this event with an over abundance of positive energy and hope for the community.

All photos by: Lela Taylor

(SALEM) - The message of recovery was emphasized by visitors picking a stone from each vendor booth. These stones depicted the soul of recovery: willingness, integrity, serenity, spiritual, brotherly love, honesty, celebrate, justice, love, hope, courage, faith.

Words to most, but to those in recovery they represent a lifeline to sobriety, mental well being, and acceptance.

Michele Thomas

Claudia Wilcox with the Addictions and Mental Health Division informed me this event was in celebration of Recovery Month and was the first event in Salem for the recovery process. This event recognizes the people and their families who are taking steps towards recovery from addictions and mental illness.

Michelle Thomas, a person who has been in recovery since 1985, says this event is all about the families as they go through recovery and are soon able to look through the dark.

It is a process that most people don’t want to recognize, especially when it comes to the dual diagnosis of individuals who have a mental illness and a substance abuse issue.

Michelle says that during the beginning of her treatment period there was not the understanding on recovery as there is today and it took a wise psychiatrist to tell her to read the “big book” which was Alcoholics Anonymous and to attend the free AA meetings – thus, beginning her journey from a hopeless place to one full of hope.

The topic of dual diagnosis is a new venture into the world of treating people with mental illness and also substance abuse.

The only requirement for membership in DDA is a desire to develop healthy drug and alcohol free lifestyles.

This program is a fellowship of persons who share experiences, strengths, weaknesses, feelings, fears and hopes with one another to resolve their dual diagnosis and/or live at peace with unresolved problems.

Emerson, Maxwell and Donaldson are from Ontario, Oregon

There were people at the event that came from other parts of the state. Donna Emerson and her daughters, Rebecca Maxwell and Rachel Donaldson came from Ontario, Oregon, to give support to Claudio Wilcox who was Rachel’s counselor. They had just attended the “Hands Across the Park” in Ontario in support of recovery.

The task of recovery is becoming a community heartbeat and these events are starting to evolve in an exercise of hope for the recovery of many individuals who suffer from the debilitating effects of drugs and/or mental illness.

Not only are the individuals affected but their families as well. Backed up by an affirmative nod from her daughters, Donna Emerson said, “More input is needed from the communities.” From the looks of this event, that is exactly what is happening.

One of the highlights of the day was the Native American drummers. Soon there was a line of people circling the drummers and dancing to the beat that seemed to permeate through the earth and actually come up through the souls of one’s feet.

You could not help but move, and many did. The Oregon Indian Council on Addictions also had a booth offering support. They had individuals write a pledge on the back of a paper feather which was then hung on a “dream catcher” to be kept until next year. Next year this reporter can look at her feather to see if the pledge of “exercising more” was followed through with.

Bob Nikkel

There were many people from community agencies and state entities attending, such as Bob Nikkel, Assistant Director, Department of Human Services – Mental Health, who ended his talk with a quote, “Everybody in life has a wild card and how you play it makes a difference.”

Also attending was Ann Uhler, Chair on Governor’s Council on Alcohol and Drug Programs, who said, “There is an incredible problem with underage drinking.

We all have responsibility to do something about it. . . there needs to be an increase in treatment for people coming out of prison . . . and we need to do something about children being put in foster care because their parents cannot get treatment.” Uhler says the Governor’s office is actively working on problems concerning recovery and addictions.

Another person I talked with was Lorenzo Rice, a comrade of mine in the world or public access television. Lorenzo is an independent producer who has produced many programs and is currently producing a program on Native American Worship which is being taped at Yachats Commons.

Lorenzo’s interest in this recovery event is that he is also a survivor of mental illness and is lending his knowledge to producing shows concerning mental health issues, recovery, and spiritual health.

Following are a few of the many vendors present who offered something towards recovery.

· The Dual Diagnosis Anonymous of Oregon is a peer support for individuals with dual diagnosis. It is based on a version of the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous with an additional five steps that focus on dual diagnosis (mental illness and substance abuse). For further information on this program, please call 503-737-4126, or visit the website www.ddaoforegon.com.

· Alcoholics Anonymous which is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience, strength and hope with each other to help solve their common problems. For further information, please call 503-399-0599 or visit the website www.alcoholics-anonymous.org.

· Recovery Association Project Mid-Valley (RAP) which is an organization dedicated to creating a vehicle for people in recovery to speak out on substance abuse related issues. For further information on this program, please call 503-393-4273.

· Family Building Blocks with their Accessing Success Program - a peer to peer recovery program. For more information on this program, please call 503-566-2132, or visit the website www.familybuildingblocks.org.

· No Meth – Not in My Neighborhood, Salem based organization that stresses intolerance for methamphetamine manufacturing, distribution and use in the Salem/Keizer area and in Marion and Polk County. Community and business leaders are connecting with law enforcement, local organizations, civic clubs, schools, businesses, churches and local, county, state, and federal governments to reduce crime and improve the quality of life in all neighborhoods. For more information please call 503-362-9790 or see their website: http://nomethnotinmyneighborhood.org .

If you have further questions or request information concerning substance abuse and mental health services you can visit the web site www.samhsa.gov. This is the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Center for Substance Abuse Treatment.

Also contact the State of Oregon Human Services web site http://www.oregon.gov/DHS/index.shtml.

There were many other vendors offering programs, classes, and encouragement to individuals in the process of reclaiming their lives. This event is scheduled to become a yearly process and I believe that each year will see a developing community interest in helping people through the recovery process.

The overwhelming theme of today’s event was to emphasize how important the recovery process is and that community-based programs are an important element in building a stronger and healthier community.

People need to take a stand and say, “This is my community and it is my responsibility to make it better.”