The second annual Recovery ROCKS! 2014 Celebration kicked off with a morning Motorcycle Trivia Ride at the Worthy Women Recovery Home this morning.
The Worthy Women Recovery Home is a Christian home that provides programs for incarcerated women on the path to success to help reduce the rates of recidivism. It’s mission is to help empower and strengthen women to be positive role models for their families and the community. The Worthy Women Recovery Home is located at 1001 Maple Street in La Porte and is run by Executive Director, Sonshine Troche.
“The event is in honor of SAMHSA [Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration] being celebrated in the month of September. It brings awareness to the fact that recovery does rock; recovery works when we help people out, and when we give them the tools and the skills necessary to walk away from drugs and walk into the future. We are building the only recovery home in La Porte County that is specific to women coming out of the jail and are coming back from the prison,” said Troche.
Recovery ROCKS! 2014 Celebration was created to help bring awareness about substance abuse by encouraging La Porte County to fight the battle against substance abuse addiction. The mission of these efforts includes educating the community about the negative effects of substance abuse such as mental health and homelessness.
This celebration was open to the public, and was made possible by sponsors and volunteers. The sponsors include Parkison & Hinton, CPA, United Way of La Porte County, La Porte County Drug Free Partnership, Phantom Technology Solutions, Kabelin Ace Hardware, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers La Porte, IN, A-1 Loggins Tree Service, Bump & Jump Bounce House, Meridian Title Corporation, Harmon Expert Auto, La Porte High School Girl Reserves, Captain Ed’s, Swanson Center, Northside BBQ and Nova Basement Systems.
Adrianna LeDonne of Girl Reserves is one of many volunteers that feel the value in programs such as Worthy Women.
“I think it is great to bring our community together with events like these, so we can all continue to help others. Jim Friend, my old youth group leader, was a huge member in the community before he passed away about a year ago. This event means a lot to me, for I am trying to carry on his tradition by helping others as he would,” said LeDonne.
Volunteer Amie Decker is also touched personally and enjoys being a part of something that can benefit the public.
“I think everyone can do something small, even as small as face painting a kid at an event. I know people that have gone to jail for getting into drugs and programs such as this one can help them on the path to recovery,” said Decker.
Activities of the event consist of face painting, jumping in the bouncy house, listening to live music, stories, speeches, testimonies, and drug awareness presentations, viewing the BMX bike exhibit and dunking people in the dunk tank.
Those getting dunked include State Representative Tom Dermody, State Representative Scott Pelath, Mark Yagelski, Major John Boyd, Fire Chief Andy Snyder, Chief Adam Klimczak, John Wilcher, Al Ott and Marty Corley.
Companies such as Lawrence Pincus & Associates attended in hopes of spreading the word that treatment works, and recovery is possible. Lawrence Pincus & Associates offers substance abuse counseling program in Valparaiso, Michigan City and Merrillville. Some of their therapists visit homes around the area and schools in both Michigan City and La Porte.
Kris Pate, Executive Director of United Way of La Porte County supports Troche and her willingness to help others.
“We believe in what Sonshine is doing, and we want to continue to encourage her and thank her for all of the work she does in our community. She has worked tirelessly to get this recovery home up and running. To me personally, having been born and raised in La Porte, it means that there is a resource here for friends and family and people that I care about, and people that I know,” said Pate.
United Way of La Porte County provides support to programs that help people in La Porte County who are struggling with finances, lack of education and health issues. It is located at 115 E 4th St in Michigan City.
Along with existing companies and corporations, Mary Allen is Leadership Training for the Celebrate Recovery Program that will be coming to La Porte in March 2015. They will be accepting those interested in leadership training for the next three weeks, and the training will continue well into February. The Celebrate Recovery Program will be open to the public next March. Allen supports Worthy Women Recovery personally, and enjoys being a part of an event that people can only benefit from.
Mary Schram, Executive Assistant from the Swanson Center in Michigan City and La Porte supports Sonshine and all of her achievements with the Worthy Women Recovery Home.
The Swanson Center is an outpatient mental health facility that counsels those with minor problems such as depression and anxiety, to larger problems such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and drug and gambling addiction. They also accommodate those in need of marriage counseling.
Diana Valch and Stephanie Spence from Bump & Jump Playhouse business also believe in the importance of raising awareness to educate people on the drug epidemic in La Porte. They both have kids growing up in this community and want them to grow up in a place where they know drugs won’t take over their lives.
“It is important for everyone to get involved and to help to raise awareness and money towards the cause -- especially to help Sonshine build the recovery home she wants to make. Events like these are very important to the community,” said Spence.
This September, the nation celebrates Recovery Month, which spreads the word about substance abuse prevention, treatment, and recovery. This year’s theme is “Join the Voices for Recovery: Speak Up, Reach Out,” encouraging those with substance abuse issues to openly speak up about substance abuse. The theme encourages those with stories to share them with others without shame or fear of judgment, in hopes of enlightening the community about substance abuse, so everyone can work together to help break the cycle. Recovery Month promotes the message that treatment is effective, and that recovery is possible.
Troche said, “Involvement in the community plays an important role in awareness. When we have people like John Boyd and PATH [A Positive Approach to Teen Health] and people hear the information, it equips them to understand the warning signs before people get into addiction. If you want to find out more about us, go to http://worthyrecovery.org/.”
Pictures from Recovery ROCKS! 2014 will be featured on http://www.samhsa.gov/ throughout the month of September.