Community Listening Forum Toolkit: Make Your Voice Heard!
This step-by-step guide includes everthing you need to host a succesful Community Listening Forum. Learn more...
Recovery Advocacy Toolkit: Making Our Voices Count
includes media outreach templates, event organizing “how-to” materials and many other resources. Learn more…
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eNewsletter - August 28, 2008
Letters for August 26, 2008
Those in recovery must speak out.
An important election is approaching, and the voice of the people must be heard. There is no better time than now for civic engagement, which means being involved in your community. It's probably no surprise that the number of Americans who are active in civic life has declined over the years, but now is not the time to be silent. With our votes, we let our elected officials know how we feel and what we want.
I'm speaking especially to individuals in recovery from addictions and to their families, friends and allies. Growing numbers of recovery community organizations and individuals are getting involved so that their voices can be heard in the local, state and national arenas.
Now is the time for those of us affected in one way or another by addictions to use our combined efforts to change public perceptions of addiction and recovery and to promote effective public policy in Washington, D.C., in New York state and in our local counties and communities. We can be a powerful force to demonstrate that recovery is a reality.
During September's National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, Friends of Recovery of Delaware and Otsego Counties Inc., or FOR-DO, will be one of hundreds of recovery community organizations across the country celebrating the power and possibility of recovery.
Our fifth annual Rally for Recovery will be held in Wilber Park from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 20.
FOR-DO will conduct voter registration and provide information about many issues that affect people in recovery and their families, friends and allies as well as tips on how to talk with your local and state candidates about these issues. We ask all who support recovery to join the Recovery Walk through downtown Oneonta and a family day filled with food, games and live music.
Betty Currier
Cooperstown
Currier says she is in long-term recovery from alcoholism and is president of Friends of Recovery of Delaware and Otsego Counties Inc.
Check out Macomb County, MI Project Vox's Newsletter to see how recovery community organizations are integrating Recovery Voices Count into their Recovery Month activities.