Today marks the beginning of
National Recovery Month, promoted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as an opportunity to bring attention to the growing problem of addiction that affects 22 million Americans, or more than 1 in 14 people. This year’s theme is Prevention Works, Treatment Is Effective, People Recover. To promote those ideas throughout the month of September, hundreds of events will take place across the country, from walks and runs to cook-offs and concerts.One of those events is the Heroes in Recovery 6K. Scheduled for Sept. 17, 2011, in Leiper’s Fork, Tennessee, near Nashville, the run/walk begins at 8 am, with awards presented at 10 am. Registration is $25 through Sept. 3, $30 Sept. 4 - 16 or $35 on Race Day, with online registration available atheroesinrecovery6k.com through Sept. 15. All participants receive a finisher’s medal and T-shirt. In addition, Best Times will provide each race participant with a ChampionChip to provide accurate net and split times for every individual athlete. Elly Foster Photography will also take photos of participants along the race, for sale following the event.
The unusual race length is a nod to the extra lengths those in recovery go to in order to maintain their sobriety, and the idea that no one is on that very personal journey alone. A portion of all proceeds will benefit Foundation Recovery Network’s selected charity, The Next Door. This Nashville-based organization helps women who are re-entering society after incarceration, rehabilitation or homelessness. The Next Door’s mission is to address the physical, mental, and spiritual needs of women in crisis, equipping them for lives of wholeness and hope. Major sponsors of the Heroes in Recovery 6K include Foundations Recovery Network and Fleet Feet Sports Nashville (for a complete list of sponsors, go to heroesinrecovery6k.com/sponsors).
The Heroes in Recovery movement celebrates the heroic efforts of those who seek the addiction and mental health help they need without feeling ashamed or isolated. Started by Foundations Recovery Network (FRN), this grassroots movement is intended to remove the social stigma associated with people in recovery, to recognize the heroic effort it takes to overcome the obstacles in seeking help and to celebrate the act of preventing the past from kidnapping the future. While the movement initially focuses on those recovering from addictive behavior, it also seeks to recognize heroes recovering from many other types of disorders and trauma that can feed into or manifest from an addiction.
One of the heroes hailed on FRN’s Heroes in Recovery site is Allen Conley, who boarded a Greyhound bus for Michigan in 1999, u
nemployed, broke and a newly recovering alcoholic. The willingness of one woman to give him a second chance—and a job—helped to change his life. This year Allen celebrated 15 years sober, a feat he attributes to God, AA, his wife, and the woman who hired him all those years ago.For more information on Heroes in Recovery, go to heroesinrecovery.com. Visit
www.recoverymonth.gov for more information on National Recovery Month or to find an event near you.
Headquartered in Nashville, Tenn., Foundations Recovery Network is one of the premier organizations for treating those with co-occurring addiction and mental health disorders. The FRN family of treatment facilities includes Michael’s House in Palm Springs, Calif.; The Canyon in Malibu, Calif.; La Paloma in Memphis, Tenn., and a full-service outpatient treatment center in Atlanta, Ga. All FRN facilities employ an integrated treatment approach, focusing on a Dual Diagnosis model for lasting recovery.
