September 2023 was National Recovery Month, and it was filled with not only celebrations of hope, inspiration, and strength throughout Statesboro, Bulloch County, and the surrounding regions, but also remembrance and mourning for those lost in the struggle with Substance Use Disorder.
The Festival of Hope
Starting with the third annual Overdose Awareness Walk and the second annual Festival of Hope on September 2nd at Mill Creek Regional Park, there was an array of food and arts and crafts vendors, along with a resource fair, as well as 31 banners that featured the faces of 4,650 people lost to an overdose or fentanyl poisoning and 900 Faces of Recovery, featuring photographs of those living life free from substances today.
A resource avenue provided information on services in prevention, recovery, and treatment, and was available for all attendees. Organized by the Bulloch Alcohol and Drug Council, Freedom Through Recovery, and Hannah’s Hope with Suzy Fordham of Fordham’s Farmhouse, the Festival of Hope was founded by Fordham after the loss of her daughter, Hannah, who lost her battle to substance use, and died of a drug overdose in August 2019.
Read Grice Connect's "Festival of Hope" Article HERE.
Bulloch County's 1st Official National Recovery Month Proclamation
Following the Festival of Hope, Bulloch County Commissioner Chair Roy Thompson read the first-ever National Recovery Month Proclamation to a full meeting of the Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, September 5th, 2023 at 5:30pm.
Among other key points in the Proclamation, Mr. Thompson announced the prevalence of those living in recovery in the state of Georgia and the nation, and his support for those living in recovery in Bulloch County, along with the kick-off of the historic Mobilize Recovery Across Georgia initiative.
Mobilize Recovery Across Georgia is a traveling bus tour that crossed the state of Georgia throughout National Recovery Month. Over 800,000 Georgians are living in long-term recovery from Substance Use Disorder. Mobilize Recovery Across Georgia was designed to bring those Georgians together to celebrate recovery, educate individuals on harm reduction and recovery resources, and connect members of the community. This engaging and uplifting bus tour brought together Georgia policy makers, local officials, and the 800,000-strong recovering Georgians.
The statewide bus tour made a stop on Sweetheart Circle on Tuesday, September 12th in honor of National Recovery Month. With 250 people in attendance, the tour partnered with local hosts Freedom Through Recovery and GSU's Center for Addiction Recovery to bring live music, speakers, and free Dolan's BBQ to the event, along with resource tables for those seeking help or services for themselves or loved ones. The tour was in partnership with the Clinton Foundation and the Georgia Council for Recovery, and was funded by Commissioner Kevin Tanner at the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities.
Freedom Through Recovery's 3rd Annual Recovery Field Day
As an avenue for health and levity in celebrating National Recovery Month, Freedom Through Recovery: Susan Ford Recovery Community Organization hosted the third annual Recovery Field Day on September 9th from 11am to 7pm at Black Creek Scout Reservation.
With over 300 people in attendance, the event offered a full day of swimming, fishing, a challenging high ropes course, climbing wall, zip line and field events. Free to the public, lunch and dinner was provided, along with a raffle drawing and an awards ceremony at dinner. The event was also streamed through Facebook Live.
Freedom Through Recovery Wins "Recovery Community Organization of the Year"
During the Recovery Month Celebration at the Buckhead Club in Atlanta, GA, Freedom Through Recovery won the “Recovery Community Organization of the Year” award for 2023, alongside New Life out of Americus, awarded by the Georgia Council for Recovery for the second year in a row. The “Recovery Community Organization of the Year” award is given to 2 organizations across the state of Georgia each year. FTR also won the award in 2022, along with Coweta Force out of Newnan, GA.
