What happened in the early evening of May 1st, 2010 was, just a few years ago, an idea. It was an idea that came to fruition through the talent, spirit and plain hard work of a group of individuals committed to helping people in recovery. And, it succeeded...greatly.
Here's what the Oz Alumnae said - "On behalf of the Oz Alumnae, I would like to thank you for "The Power of Pasta". What a wonderful gathering! We were all energized (it wasn't from the sugar in the delicious cake) as we walked out of the hall this evening. We even had a mini alumnae meeting in the parking lot brainstorming on what we can do to make our alumnae stronger. :)
Thank you and the volunteers for all your hard work. It's inspiring!!! We look forward to future events ~ the Recovery Walk and the Board of Supervisors Proclamation.
Thank you for including us in the function and thanks to you all again!
Gratefully,
The Oz Alumnae ~ Kelly, Olivia, Val, Diana, Robyn, Rosalie and Cheryl."
Over 80 showed up for The Power of Pasta. It was an occasion meant to bring people together to share ideas on how we could better serve ourselves and the communities we live in. It did more than that. It was the start of building a bond that will only strengthen as more people in recovery and their partners get involved. The Treatment Centers who attended are: Frederic Ozanam Center, New Connections, Wollom, Cole House, Fresh Start Alumni Association, Recovery Management Services, Ujima, Discovery House, Diablo Valley Ranch Alumni Association along with organization, Opportunity Junction, who fights poverty by helping low-income adults gain the skills and confidence to support themselves and their families.
We'd like to thank the following businesses for providing the food: Berkeley Bowl, Tullios, The Old Spaghetti Factory, Safeway, Cakes By Laurel, Trader Joes and ROCCO's.
Rick Baez, the Program Director for the Peer to Peer Treatment Program at San Quentin Prison, spoke about the dedication of the men who are still incarcerated helping other prisoners who need drug treatment while in prison. S4R is directly involved with helping these counselors continue this program.
John West ran a mean raffle which raised over $300. Thank you JDub! He couldn't have done it without the hard work of Margaret Lennon who got some excellent prizes donated. This event wouldn't have been possible without our Advisory Council members Laurel, Sara, Kathy, Kay DeMartini, Maria and Todd.
To get involved and help us grow, please contact either Tom Aswad, Nina Ferraris, or Judy Bastin at info@support4recovery.org.
If I've missed mentioning anyone, please forgive me. I was having way too much fun to pay attention to details. Email me and let me know what you would like included or who I may have missed and I will be more than happy to acknowledge them. Look for more pictures and dates of other events on our website, www.support4recovery.org.
Last but not least, Tom Aswad is S4R's President. Without him, Support 4 Recovery would still be an idea waiting to be born. Thank you Tom.
Take Care Everyone,
Judy
Pass It On.
