For the first time Saturday afternoon, the community of Faulkner County banded together to put a positive light on what is typically viewed as a negative subject.
The Faulkner County Voices for Recovery presented the first local National Recovery Day program in Simon Park to educate the community that recovery from substance abuse can be a reality.
"We want the community to know that recovery is possible and that substance abuse affects everyone," Jodi Howard, a counselor with the 20th Judicial District Drug Court, said during the event. "We just hope we can reach people in Faulkner County so they are encouraged to start the road to recovery."
Howard said many resources were available during the event, from local counseling services to Alcoholics Anonymous representatives to different church groups, so people could meet others who were willing to help.
Residents who have recovered from substance abuse also shared their stories with the crowd gathered in the park and offered hope and encouragement to those still struggling.
"Speaking today is the hardest thing they've ever done," Howard said. "I always say for people who don't have an addiction problem, it would be like standing up there in your underwear. There is a big possibility for people to reject them, but it helps them so much to further the recovery process."
Skyler Carter, 25, was one of those speakers.
Carter, who has been a participant of Drug Court for more than four years, admitted standing on the stage was a bit nerve-wracking, but said the words he wanted to share were important.
"I've seen a lot of people come through Drug Court and change their lives and I am one of those people," Carter said. "It's been a long experience, but it's been more good than bad."
After thanking his counselors, Circuit Judge Charles "Ed" Clawson, local attorney Frank Shaw and others who were instrumental in his recovery, Carter said he was very pleased to see so much participation at the event.
"I'm glad so many people are here because there are a lot of people out in the community with substance abuse problems who are too afraid to come forth and admit it and get help," Carter said. "But when you have young people like me come out here in front of everybody and talk about it, it's encouraging. If I can do it, anybody can do it."
Lisa Ray, who is the project coordinator for the addiction studies program at the University of Central Arkansas, was another speaker at the event. She spoke about the stigma that can be attached to drug and alcohol addiction.
"My sobriety dates April 10, 1992," Ray told the crowd. "And when I got sober, it was not OK to stand up in front of a group of people at a park and say that."
Ray said when she had a problem, it was looked upon as a moral issue, but today she knows it can be a chronic disease.
"We have to teach people how to manage it, not lock them away for it," Ray said. "And because of programs like National Recovery Day, people like me can now stand up and say, 'See, you can get sober,'" Ray said.
According to Ray, programs like Saturday's event are not only good for raising awareness, but to allow the community to come together and help others.
"Because of things like what we are doing today, we can educate some folks and raise some awareness so we can figure out a way to treat the people of Faulkner County in Faulkner County," Ray said. "Let's not just have a picnic, let's take what we do here today and what we learned and let's build something in Faulkner County."
Conway Mayor Tab Townsell and Faulkner County Judge Preston Scroggin were also present at the event to officially proclaim the month of September to be National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month in Faulkner County.
"We cannot have anybody lost to substance abuse in our community," Townsell said. "Whether it's affecting our individual friends or families, it is affecting all of our community. It is all of our jobs to be part of the solution."
Townsell said about 22.6 million people in the U.S., ages 12 and up, have substance abuse problems, which he said is a number higher than those affected by coronary heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's disease combined.
"I hope that hearing the real stories of people and their long paths to recovery can inspire other people to do the same today," Townsell said.
Several local businesses and residents offered their support for the first National Recovery Day event and food and music were provided for the duration of the program.
(Staff writer Jessica Bauer can be reached by e-mail at jessica.bauer@thecabin.net or by phone at 505-1236. To comment on this and other stories in the Log Cabin, log on to www.thecabin.net. Send us your news at www.thecabin.net/submit)
