Substance use abuse remains a taboo subject for a large swath of the American public. One local Grand Rapids event aims to give people struggling with addiction and recovery the celebration that their achievement deserves.
Recovery Palooza 2011 hits Grand Rapids' John Ball Park on Sept. 17 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Activities for the family oriented event includes live music from Mid-Life Crisis, inflatables, free food, face painting and fellowship amongst the recovering and their loved ones.
"The event is a celebration of recovery and tied to recovery month," Bill Ryan, event director, said. "It gives the community some visibility and really shows people the many, many people that are affected by substance use abuse."
One of the main goals of Recovery Palooza is to remove the stigma from substance use abuse and people in recovery. By bringing the issue out into the light, it makes recovery a point of pride instead of a shameful secret. Issues with addiction affect many people and Ryan says events like Recovery Palooza help people in recovery and their families feel that they're not alone in their struggle.
"It's important for people to see that there are a tremendous amount of people in recovery living normal lives," he said.
| 6th annual Recovery Palooza 2011 John Ball Park, Grand Rapids Sept. 17, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free recoverypalooza.org |
In addition to the family event on Saturday, Recovery Palooza also features a Dry Run/Walk at 6:30 p.m. on Sept. 15. The run/walk will be held at Riverside Park. The event marks one of the major highlights of Recovery Palooza for Ryan.
"The run/walk gives everybody a chance to run or walk in memory or in celebration of somebody recovering," Ryan said. "It's the number one event."
There's still time to register for the race. Registration for the race is $25. Runners can register at recoverypalooza.com. Ryan said the Thursday race date gives runners the opportunity to participate without missing out on a Saturday event. Six participants from Guiding Light Mission's S.T.A.R.T program will participate to celebrate their sobriety. The program allows the men to chase a "runner's high" instead of a potentially more destructive one, according to a press release from Guiding Light.
Ultimately, Recovery Palooza represents a chance for the community to come together in support and celebration of the recovery process, Ryan said. With the support of their families, their community and others, Recovery Palooza stands to remind those in recovery that though their path is difficult, they're certainly not walking it alone.
