SPRINGFIELD, Vt. – On Friday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m., the Turning Point Recovery Center of Springfield will host its first Recovery Awards Gala in the SAPA TV Studio at the Black River Innovation Campus auditorium in Springfield.
This first event is an opportunity to recognize “champions,” community partners throughout Windham and Windsor counties who go above and beyond to support the community’s prevention and recovery efforts. The main purpose of the event is to celebrate those individuals and organizations that provide outstanding service to the recovery community.
“The idea of the event came to me earlier in the year when Turning Point of Springfield received funding to have a ‘recovery presence’ in the community at various community events called Recovery Inclusive Community Events, or RICE,” J.R. Layne said. Layne is a certified recovery coach and forensic peer recovery specialist.
“There was talk of having a presence at various social events such as concerts, but most events have been cancelled due to Covid protocols, so I suggested hosting this awards gala and utilizing Zoom as the setting for the event. Originally, it was not within the context of what our funders were suggesting, but we feel it is equally as important to lift the spirits of all those who are on the front lines of the addiction crisis, working directly with those who are most impacted by the disease of substance use disorders.”
RICE is one of three projects in Turning Point’s Recovery and Prevention in Partnership program. “Sponsored by Mount Ascutney Hospital and Health Center’s Prevention Network Grant, our other two projects within that grant are Youth Based Recovery Supports and Recovery Ready Workforce, Turning Point’s William Simoneau II added. “The goal of combined RPP projects together is to create a community that is inclusive and supportive of people in, or seeking, recovery and their families.”
Turning Point has successfully navigated the original objective of engaging with the public and to bring more awareness to the issues of addiction, by providing a recovery presence at local farmers markets and food drop centers. However, the feeling is that there was also a need for people to have social and entertainment outlets due to the current Covid situation.
“We also acknowledge that in our field, the not-for-profit industry, there is very little cause for celebration and virtually no instant gratification or seeing the manifestations of our work because it is mostly long-term… direct service or advocacy is usually a slow process,” Layne added. “Therefore, I felt it was time to have a recovery gala event so we can celebrate our colleagues, have some fun with entertainment, as well as strengthen collaborations.”
The online celebration will include award presentations, entertainment, and opportunities for participants to connect and network with colleagues throughout the region. There will be limited seating, by invitation only, at the Black River Innovation Campus auditorium, with options to virtually attend via Zoom. The event will also be broadcast online through SAPA TV, Facebook, and YouTube.
Anyone can nominate a “champion” by completing the form provided on Turning Point’s website. The awards selection committee will then choose recipients based on information from the nominations. To learn more about the Recovery Awards Gala or to nominate a “champion,” please visit their website at www.spfldtp.org/events-list/recovery-awards-gala or call 802-885-4668.