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Recovery in the News
Soberfest proves there's fun at end of addiction
Chad Swiatecki
TheFlint Journal
July 23, 2007
FLINT TWP. - The bad part about Sunday's Soberfest celebration for Tony Koan was having his softball team lose in the first round of a daylong tournament.
The good part? Everything else.
"Other than the (softball) game, this has been just a wonderful day," said the Flint resident and recovering drug and alcohol abuser who has been clean for eight months.
Between hands of euchre, Koan, 31, praised the day of family-friendly recreation and social activities offered to give locals going through recovery options for how to have fun and stay sober.
"I'm trying to go out and find new ways to have some fun and meet other people who are going through the same thing I'm going through," he said. "It feels good because I'm getting my life back."
Sponsored by UAW Local 598 and the support group Maintaining Our Sobriety Together, Sunday marked the 13th year for the event held at the Union City Ball Field on Torrey Road.
A crowd of about 1,500 - many of them families with children - enjoyed food, games, pony rides, a trout pond, dunk tank and more during the all-day fest that organizers hope will make recovery a little smoother.
"Things become easier when they realize that they don't need alcohol as a social lubricant, that they can have a good time and don't need alcohol or drugs to make that happen," said Bob McKamie, a work/family representative for Local 598.
"People come here and they'll talk about all the changes and problems in their family that addictions can cause. Once they put the plug in the jug, all kinds of opportunities arise."
With General Motors and other auto manufacturers heading into contract talks with the UAW, tensions are starting to creep up in local plants, even for those not at the bargaining table.
But giving workers and officials from both sides a chance to come together and enjoy the sunshine can make a difference and calm nerves, said Mark Hawkins, shop committee chairman for Local 598.
"These are stressful times because of the negotiations coming up, but this lets us get away from that for a little while," he said.
"Even if we have differences when we're in the middle of negotiations, we can come together at an event like this and show we have a common bond of zero tolerance for drugs in the workplace. Coming together to have fun can help reconnect those family bonds that break down from drug and alcohol use."
John Holt of Flint knows that, and he knows how much the support of events such as Soberfest can help people like him come back from 15 years of drug and alcohol abuse.
"It's a big inspiration, because it shows that there are lots of people out there going through the same struggles as I am," said Holt, 30.
"I feel great now because I'm better. I can actually carry on an intellectual conversation, and I know I don't need drugs as an escape."
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