A Therapist, A Buddhist, and You
A Therapist, A Buddhist, and You
Unveiling Hope: RAF and the Heart of National Recovery Month
When Newton Gentry and Sam Alston, founders of the Recovery Awareness Foundation, joined us for a conversation, we were captivated by their compelling addiction journey and inspiring efforts to transform lives. These remarkable individuals opened up about their struggles with addiction and the hurdles they encountered while seeking assistance. Their profound experiences birthed the Recovery Awareness Foundation (R.A.F), an organization committed to bridging the gaps in addiction recovery, dismantling harmful stigma, and nurturing an environment ripe with support and solidarity.
We delved deeper into the phenomenal work of the Recovery Awareness Foundation and its endeavor to provide resources and support and create a culture encouraging individuals to seek help and get the financial support they deserve. They shared their valuable partnership with the Drug-Free All-Stars, an organization promoting drug prevention since 1992, and how they leverage modern tools like social media to amplify awareness and action. Their combined outreach efforts, through organized events and shared resources, empower individuals and communities to break free from the shackles of addiction.
The icing on the cake was our exploration into the transformative power of peer support in the recovery process. Newton and Sam highlighted their upcoming events celebrating National Recovery Month, encouraging our listeners to participate and contribute to their cause. The Recovery Awareness Foundation's work, through its array of activities, scholarships, and innovative resources, is aiding individuals and uplifting entire communities. Tune in for this enlightening episode that underscores the indomitable spirit of those on the path to recovery and the collective efforts contributing to their journey. So DONATE to the good cause! :)
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Recovery Collective
Welcome to A Therapist of Buddhists and you a collective solution to all things health and wellness, brought to you by the Recovery Collective in Annapolis, Maryland. This is a special episode that marks a commencement of our impactful four-part series dedicated to the heart and essence of National Recovery Month. Imagine a month where we collectively shine a light on stories of transformation, strength and resilience. A time when we honor the journeys of those battling against the currents of addiction and mental health challenges, emerging victorious. I'm Luke DeBoy, and here with Coho Zommant.
Speaker 2:Hey Luke, what's happening?
Speaker 1:We'll be to our guests here in a minute and for people listening on podcast platform, there is a video today, so feel free to jump on YouTube. National Recovery Month was born in 1989. Isn't just a time on the calendar, it's a powerful movement and it's an embodiment of hope, strength and change. Every September, this observance unites us in promoting evidence-based treatment, celebrating the immense power of recovery communities and saluting the tireless dedication of service providers who paved the way for life to be rebuilt. In fact, I don't know if you knew this, but over 20 million Americans age 12 and older struggled with substance use disorder in 2020 alone 20 million.
Speaker 1:In the midst of this stark reality, the significance of Recovery Month, guided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration we'll call it SAMHSA from here on becomes even more poignant. Through the years, samhsa has chosen September as a platform to unveil initiatives and funding that elevate mental health and addiction recovery, while partnering with both private and public entities to champion those individuals who, day by day, forge paths to long-term recovery. It's about acknowledging the victories, the setbacks and the indomitable spirit that makes the journey to reclaiming life. And today, in the spirit of this remarkable observance, we are honored Zell and I are honored to welcome the co-founders of the Recovery Awareness Foundation, newton Gentry and Sam Alston, two individuals whose commitment to this cause is a testament to the power of collective healing, through their tireless efforts, their bridging gaps, dismantling stigma and fostering a culture of support. Welcome guys, thanks for joining us, thanks for having us.
Speaker 3:Thanks for kicking us off for the first part of the Recovery Awareness.
Speaker 2:Month yeah welcome.
Speaker 1:This is fun. I'm really in the name, so how could we not have you guys here first Recovery Awareness Foundation, for sure. So thanks for joining us. So, if you don't mind, share us the journey that led to your guys' creation of the Recovery Awareness Foundation. Kick us off.
Speaker 4:Okay. So I guess the whole premise behind it, what sort of initiated it, was my personal experience trying to get clean. So basically, when I was trying to get clean I was caught up and I'm like, okay, I got to come to treatment before I relapsed and I already knew I needed to figure out a way to get back.
Speaker 2:I knew where I needed to be right.
Speaker 1:In the cycle of suck Right.
Speaker 4:So now I'm locked and loaded, so I'm just like I'm in a hotel. I'm up in Baltimore. I'm like, oh my God, I need to figure something out. So literally probably at the very beginning of the relapse, I just start calling treatment centers, like I'm calling one to Florida, everywhere, all of them down these coasts, calling treatment centers, and all of them are just like we need five grand, we need three grand, we need this, we need that. I'm like, dude, if I had that kind of money right now, you're the thing I'd be calling you Like. Let's be honest, right?
Speaker 4:So eventually I ended up finding a spot after I put myself through a little more pain, right, and end up at a treatment facility that took state insurance. And when I got out and got my feet on him, we started just getting back into the groove of things. I literally was just like I mean, it would be pretty cool, just start just like a foundation that just had a big pot of money to help people whenever they wanted to get help, right, and basically, basking off my personal experience, I was like, okay, if someone calls a treatment center, that might be like their amount of willingness that they're able to present at that moment, right, sure man.
Speaker 2:We're in it.
Speaker 4:So they present that and someone calls them like, yeah, we're going to need five grand Next thing, you know, they might just be like well, fuck it. Like okay, yeah, you know what I mean? The big, big, big plan would be just to literally have be a resource like nationwide, that if someone comes and calls and they don't have the financial ability where somebody can call that can help them, so that willingness can turn into an opportunity, right, and that's where our mission statement comes from Just giving anyone the opportunity to change your life and just giving you a chance. Without a chance, there's the other result, right. So that's sort of the premise of why we started it.
Speaker 1:There's a need, and then you provided a resource. Yeah, commendable, powerful.
Speaker 4:So the crazier thing was that when we were trying to pick a name, I'm just on Google like just typing in names and I swear to God, like this is probably like the eighth name. I got to the eighth name. We got to Recovery Awareness Foundation and it's sort of kind of interesting that RAF and then resentment, anger and fear, so it all sort of just ends up. I'd double it, but like it just ended up there, like it wasn't like a plan to get there, it just yeah, all just sort of worked out.
Speaker 1:Your resentment and anger and fear sparked something that you guys help at least hundreds, right? I mean that's awesome. So you sparked the brainchild. Where'd you come into play, sam? I was just sitting around Sitting around in sobriety, I'm just kidding.
Speaker 3:He called me and told me that he had an idea and you know we talked a couple of times about it and it sounded like a genius idea. I had a lot of experience in a recovery community in this area, so I was. When he told me I was on board, we scratched the money together and got a five on one C three and started moving.
Speaker 1:So you guys turned into a nonprofit. Take us from there. What happens next? You guys, we really want to do this. You guys, at this point, have X amount of time. Sobriety, give them back. Your own way. Had it become to what it is today?
Speaker 4:Basically starting a five on one C three is not as Tell the people about it, it's not, as there's a lot of passionate listeners out there, right?
Speaker 1:Okay, let's say so, there's a way.
Speaker 4:There's. It's not a gray area, but you can start a for profit and turn it into a nonprofit. Sure, right, and let's go through whatever realms you'd have to go to that way. But so if you go just organic nonprofit from the beginning, it can be a little costly. But I felt like I don't feel like it was that difficult, like once we just did the things that they required. It took a little bit longer, it did cost a little bit more and at that point the whole goal was just like if we get there and then we move on to the next thing, like now we can figure out like we're both able to be productive members of society, so both have jobs, so we both had income. It was something that we were able to facilitate getting it done.
Speaker 4:After that all started, then we began the plan of okay, so now we have the idea of what we wanna do. Now we need to figure out how to get the money Right. How are we gonna raise some money right? So I participated in a few different like local recovery organizations get some network. There met some people, ended up partnering with a couple of different treatment facilities and we're able to get some reputable treatment facilities to support us. So then we were able to put them on our website as resources that we had. That worked with us. Potential referral options Correct, so we had that, and then we started. Our first fundraiser thing was wristbands, and then it went to t-shirts, sweat shirts.
Speaker 4:And then it went to sweatshirts and literally now we have different fundraisers. The sky's a little early on the things that we've been able to do, but it started with we had a cuts for a cause. We did free hair cuts, donation only. We did tattoos for a cause.
Speaker 1:So what do you mean? Like hair cuts and tattoos?
Speaker 4:Right, what does that mean? So the cuts for a cause. Buddy of ours worked at the barbershop they had just opened and I just threw an idea like hey, we should do like a fundraiser here and try to raise some money for foundation. And they were like, okay, let's do it. So then I'm like okay. So like my mind of commit first, figured out later, type thing right. So like I had the idea, I threw it out First person, grabbed onto it. So I'm like, okay, so now we got to figure out the next steps. So what we're gonna do? So find barbers, find food, make flyers If I looked, oh my God, on my timeline just popped up like a flyer from the first cuts for a cause.
Speaker 3:It looks like a two year old baby, and I will say this like luckily the community that we reached out to, the individual that we reached out to, were more than willing to be of assistance and help.
Speaker 1:So they donate their time, their services, and then the person receiving the haircut or the tattoo donates the money Not partial or all to the RAP foundation.
Speaker 4:Yeah, I think when we were doing, when we did cuts for a cause, it was a hundred percent, so a hundred percent of whatever donations we were able to raise through the haircuts. They donated back to us and might not seem like a lot but like our first fundraiser, I think we raised like 600 bucks, but literally that 600 bucks help probably like six or seven people. Yeah, like you know what I mean. So I mean especially being in Maryland, so a lot of there's a lot of funding sources out, yeah, so like treatment with state insurance and stuff like that's not really costing people a lot of money. So the main thing for us here, like in our area, is getting into recovery homes and steps after right. So a lot of it is a lot of our like scholarships are giving the help when people get on their feet once they get out.
Speaker 1:So you guys are really bootstrapping, starting from hey, how are you willing to help Haircuts? If I remember correctly, this was I know this was years ago percentage of eating out at a restaurant yeah, part of that was donated to California Pizza Kitchen.
Speaker 4:California Pizza Kitchen pizza with a purpose.
Speaker 1:So you guys were willing to do anything and everything to get. So you you some of this percentage, if not all of it, donated to a good cause of people getting treatment. So name some of the things that the donations went to. You've named a couple so beloved. What are some?
Speaker 4:of the travel to treatment entrance costs, some deductibles, a lot of it, a real a lot of it really is getting people like this somewhere to sleep. The main thing is like for me, I could go, so like I need to have somewhere to go, and when the opportunity to go to a recovery house presented itself, Right.
Speaker 1:I can't tell you how many times as whether it was a case manager, therapist, aftercare coordinator, someone's willing to go after treatment to sober living, and they just don't have the money. Yeah, man or they don't have enough money, or family was able to give them X amount and they're like, well, I just can't go.
Speaker 3:Right and that was another reason because, like being in a recovery community, you see the direct need Right, like you're communicating, and you also have relationships with individuals that have that need and they just need something. And with a lot of the programs out here in Nantarone County, like you were just saying, like sometimes somebody may not qualify, somebody may have already burnt too many bridges at a particular place, you know, and that that funding source, those funds, that little bit of money, though, that couple of dollars, could be a world of difference.
Speaker 1:And then the gratitude right. That avenue of recovery doesn't close. So I think about part of your Buddhist journey, some of your Buddhist principles, and when you were in that monastery walking for food. Are there any parallels in here?
Speaker 2:Yeah, a lot. You know. What I was going to say is what you guys have shared so far is very inspiring. First of all, it's like having a dream and then seeing the dream come true. It's what I've heard from your story, but also basing it on your personal experience, especially the part about the willingness.
Speaker 2:I feel like for an addict, there is the willing. There's like a very short window for a willingness. That because you know, in my own experience too, I would do something and then the universe lines up, even in the negative direction. I will use something and then something else comes up. But then when I do something good, like I have a desire to get help, but then if there's a barrier, the window is gone. I don't want to do it anymore. Maybe the universe doesn't support it, but your premise is kind of bridging that gap by meeting people who have the willingness, you know, at that window before it's too late. So so it's really inspiring, because I guess in recovery literature too, about when the motives are set in the right place, you know everything is just, we're just backed up, you know. So that's what I'm hearing Everything that comes through. You guys were supported, so that's what I'm hearing.
Speaker 1:You guys have been a nonprofit foundation for how long now? Since 2018. Yeah, I remember working in the treatment field how these would tell people if you do what's best for your recovery, if you're willing to do what's best for your recovery, somehow it works out. It may not work out the way you want it to, but if you do what's best for your recovery, I promise you will work out.
Speaker 3:That's right.
Speaker 1:And there's some times where they had that if you compare it to 12 steps that that willingness, that surrender, and then, because they were willing and there may have been one or two times, I had you guys in my back pocket. That was like you know, they didn't think they had any chance of good or sober living, but because they were willing, now I knew sometimes there's a resource available, you know. So that's, it's powerful.
Speaker 4:Through the whole play, like just to be available. Yeah, like you know what I mean. So like the whole premise of it was like, just in its simplest form, raise a ton of money and give it away. Like that's literally the premise Raise money and help people.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's awesome. In addition to money and helping with whether it's inpatient, outpatient, sober living, co-pays, things like that you guys raise awareness. What are some ways that you guys have done that over the years? Because as creative as you guys got with literally giving people tattoos and donations to hair cuts, to a percentage of pizza goes to you got creative. In that way, you guys have gotten creative in terms of raising awareness. What are some of the ways you've done that over the years?
Speaker 3:We partnered with a group called Drug Free All Stars and we have been.
Speaker 1:You said Drug Free All Stars. Drug Free All Stars. You gotta tell the people what that means.
Speaker 3:Drug Free All Stars is an organization that started in 1992. Yeah, 1992. Early 90s that was just going around a country promoting drug prevention. So we linked up with them approximately four years ago and we have been putting on outreach what do you call them?
Speaker 4:Outreach celebrations every year yeah, community events yeah, just different kind of community events just to get kids. Community parents.
Speaker 1:For example what?
Speaker 4:What are?
Speaker 1:some of the events, we almost call it a celebration. You don't correlate Most people don't correlate drug awareness education. Just say no Dare program right To a drug free celebration. What do you mean?
Speaker 3:by that what I meant was we opened the doors to the community to come and participate in celebrity softball games. Okay, I mean not celebrity, but hey, you're there, sam. We did the math, my God, we did the mayor versus drug free all-star softball game when the mayor picked the team.
Speaker 1:So you've got people in recovery on one team and you've got people doing policies and representing everything that the mayor does when they're on the team.
Speaker 3:Yeah, Pretty much yeah.
Speaker 1:That seems like a celebration. That's what.
Speaker 3:I'm saying we opened the door for individuals in the community to just come get an abundance of resources from different organizations and entities in Adderondo County. Just celebrate man Food fun. It's cool. We got a little sports clinic, soccer clinics and all that stuff going on At DJ and we go out there and we just have a good time.
Speaker 1:So recently you guys connected with the soccer team.
Speaker 4:Yeah, we did the part of the Napples Blues.
Speaker 1:What do you do there? You just raise awareness at the soccer games, yeah.
Speaker 4:Soccer is a huge community. It's a community that is in every demographic right. So when the Napples Blues came to Annapolis, basically our I don't know what you would call it, Gerard, but our liaison. So a quick backstory. Gerard started Drug Free All Stars in the early 90s, right Gotcha, and in the early 90s they did all sorts of stuff like we was talking about going across the country. They did it as high as sponsoring the All Star game, the Camden Yards, when I was here, Like Brooks Robinson at Anymary, were honorary Drug Free All Stars.
Speaker 4:We have posters and all sorts of creative stuff with them on it articles it was. It was very, very impressive and it was pretty cool to see that back then what he was able to do with those kind of resources.
Speaker 1:Versus. Mr Moore was at the highest level right.
Speaker 4:Like this is back in the just say no, yeah, so just to think of that.
Speaker 4:And now, where we are now with social media, with just Platforms among platforms, just different platforms, to be able to just get information to people. Like he literally had to drive across the country. Yeah, like literally had to drive across the country to promote it, right, and we could sit in chairs and talk about it and it can get as far as we wanted to. Yeah, like. You know what I mean. So when he brought that organization to us and he was like here, you guys, this is what I did Sort of gave us a roadmap on how to be successful in the prevention effort. We sort of just took it and ran with it and he has some ideas.
Speaker 4:We've had some ideas and sort of coming together to do the it's called the Drug Education and Awareness Sporting Festival. A lot of words, but like these are all the different things that are taking place there, right? So you have treatments in this area, you have city resources there, you have health department. Like you have a variety of different resources.
Speaker 1:All aspects of health and wellness right Correct right.
Speaker 4:So we have all these aspects. We have a basketball clinic, we have a soccer clinic, we have the softball game, as we mentioned, free food it's a free community event, right? So we want the whole goal is to get as many kids there as possible and provide them with just information. So at the end of the day, the whole plan is opportunity to present itself to a kid and the kid just has a little bit of information and he makes the decision not to right In itself, drug Free All-Services is a complete success, like, because the whole goal is just to give the information so that they know, instead of the why don't know, let me try aspect, or I don't know, so never heard about it. So what's the worst that could happen? Right, that was a big thing with Drug Free All-Services. Like the goal would eventually be to my brain works one way. So the goal would be to be able to implement like a prevention aspect into, like, the education world. Like I'm a product of there. Only thing I remember about there is the T-shirt.
Speaker 1:Yep.
Speaker 4:Like you know what I mean. I don't even remember the acronym, Like you know what I mean.
Speaker 2:I don't even know what it means. Dots.
Speaker 4:I just remember the T-shirt right and I think that at this day and age it's real, it's affecting everybody. The degree of separation is small. It used to be my neighbor's kid's, son's boyfriend or girlfriend. They're doing whatever right. Now it's my kid, like. The degree of separation is so small now you can bring it up in conversation and it's not a like what's it?
Speaker 1:something of bacon, like the 12, but yeah, it's seven degrees, five degrees, whatever it is Of bacon right, wow, something it's literally like.
Speaker 4:it's one of those like scenarios where it's just it's there.
Speaker 1:It's my kid or my sister, or my aunt and my neighbor oh, my mom, yeah.
Speaker 4:Yeah, yeah, you just gotta. It's something that needs to be talked about and it's sort of they're getting to the point where people are getting to the point where they're comfortable having a conversation, but there's still a lot of the well, not my kid, listen. I did not grow up in a bad neighborhood. I did not come from Brooklyn home, had everything I ever needed, went to private school and I still ended up here. You know what I mean. So it's not, it doesn't care about any of that. The goal is just to educate kids of the dangers, of what drug use and substance use can do to you, and just so you have that information. At the end of the day, the decision is always gonna be theirs, but if they have that information, maybe they might decide not to.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and then if we can prevent, there's no need for a child to have to recover. You know what I mean. At one of the establishment I worked, I used to work on the adolescent unit and I would see those young individuals that would come in there struggling and hurting. Thank goodness, man, thank goodness for that, for the ability to be able to provide something to the community. I don't know, like Truckson Pip Moyer Center, right, pip Moyer Center is the base In Annapolis here. Yeah, we provide a lot of information there.
Speaker 1:And I think that's one of the things. You're not just education and awareness. Part of the prevention is hey, we're having a softball game, a baseball game, we're having fun and not using, and we're in the community and we're in the city when it's us. You guys are mentors, but it's also like all stars, right. I mean, the mayor is playing too. We're not in denial of this and we can enjoy life without this, and that's example of prevention.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I wanna go back to what Newton said earlier which has been on my mind, about your mission statement I don't know if I'm remembering it correctly about something about giving people a chance to change their lives, and in the spirit of the Recovery Awareness Month, I mean change is a very powerful concept because I was stuck in addiction. People are stuck in addiction because they don't believe that change is possible. So I like that idea a lot. Yeah, I wanna hear from you guys about from your experience with this foundation, but also like a message to people out there who think that there's no change is possible. Yeah, I just wanna focus our attention on that a little bit, about the idea of change, because recovery is all about change, you know, and growth.
Speaker 3:Change is definitely possible. Then, when you were saying that, I think about a passage in the basic text right here and it talks about what recovery is and it says that recovery is an active change of ideas, attitudes and behaviors. For me personally, all of those things had to change. All of those things had to change, and how I learned to change them was connecting with other people that were also making that change, had already made those changes. I needed to learn right. I needed to learn that a lot of the stuff that I was feeling was normal was a big thing for me, that I didn't have to be afraid of what I was feeling, that the direction that I wanted to go with my life was possible for me to go. It led me to Recovery Awareness Foundation and led me here to this chair. There is an individual out there that is struggling and suffering from the disease of addiction. There are many avenues and many resources that you can utilize that can help you, many people that can guide you. You just gotta be willing to be honest.
Speaker 2:Everything that you guys have mentioned, all the activities, that is very empowering because, like you were talking about, I wanna believe in change. But if I'm just doing it by myself, the world is a very scary place and I don't wanna interact with people. But if there is like a way to relate and you talk about that too like ability to connect with other people, when that is done it's not me anymore, it's about the power of the group and that's very inspiring and, yeah, life in recovery should be that way.
Speaker 2:Otherwise I'm just sober and dry and depressed. But if there are activities that you guys were doing, so many things that connect people with each other, then life is meaningful and moving forward.
Speaker 3:I was gonna say. I think another thing that we try to do is we try to do that with no judgment and condemnation. Individuals are in recovery when they say they are, so there's no good judgment right Like, just like there is a sense of intimacy and vulnerability when we're having these conversations, sense of relatability and with all of those things, trust is built. And when you can build trust with an individual, they are more likely to listen and be open to the suggestions or the help that you may be able to like, personally, you may be able to give them.
Speaker 1:I think that's one reason why you guys are still living your vision and mission. Yes, you guys have the advocacy, which is such a powerful tool for change, the advocacy but you guys have this peer support element to this whole nonprofit that you guys give to give your experiences the powers in our experiences. It's not just giving them awareness. You get to connect to these people. You know what it's like to be right where they were at, whether it's treatment for the 15th time, fifth time, first time, whatever it is. That peer support connection is powerful.
Speaker 1:And I've always said I've always been able to do what I do yes, professionally is because being able to help one person and that person helps another person, another person, another person hey, man, I'm good, I'm golden. If I can potentially help one person help themselves, I'm good man. I don't need to change a stadium, if you will, to feel like I need to make change. And you guys can do that in the peer support level or at a not my child event FBC around here or an all star game, you name it. That you guys have touched every element of change and advocacy, which is just cool.
Speaker 2:Yeah, as you guys already know, addiction is all about putting walls around me and blocking everything and in isolation. But recovery is all about putting those walls down and that's also more possible when there is a lifeness going on, because I think about people differently now. But I used to be so afraid of people, but now I love people because I can get the information about recovery, how to stay sober, stuff like that. But it doesn't mean anything unless I see it in people. So you guys are keeping it alive with the awareness about inaction by activities and just showing up. And there's something very real about human connection, like when somebody is sober and somebody who has been through what I'm going through, when you connect with that person, something is communicated. You don't even have to say anything. There is that deep connection and then that really helps put those walls down for somebody who's struggling that, oh yeah, this person looks like he knows what I'm feeling and then change becomes a little more possible.
Speaker 1:I'm going to ask this question. You guys have been doing this for a lot of years, putting in a lot of work, a lot of free time and work. Why do you guys still do this?
Speaker 3:Service, service. You know, when I finally made a decision, you all were talking about that willingness in the beginning, right, and like, when my willingness and my desire to do something different aligned, right, I started doing that. I got around some individuals that would teach me how to do that and I started this process and I struggled and then you went to this process, I entered this process and I'm learning all of these things, right, and then I get to the end of one of these processes and I realized that it's all about service, it's all about me giving of myself what I have learned to other people around me and like, in my community, man, like it's so important that individuals will maneuver in those dark places to try to connect with some individuals. Man, because, like, I drive past a spot every day, right, and it's a young lady that sits on a street out here and I talk to her almost every day and I just ask her just like you ready, just talking to her all the time? You ready? No, not yet You're ready, me personally.
Speaker 3:I Don't know of any other individual that's trying to like, communicate with that person, right, and just let them know that somebody is here. They have my number. I've gotten out the car and stood there and I'm not saying that to like, say like, oh, I'm doing all this in the community, but somebody has to and I'm not afraid to do that. And In recovery awareness foundation and Andrew, for y'all, sauce is just another way, another Avenue that we can do that for this community, because I got to give it a way to keep it right and I have been given so much. I have been given so much and I will never forget that.
Speaker 1:Newton same question all the sweat equity. Why do you keep doing it? I?
Speaker 4:Don't even feel. Like I Don't know what we signed up for. Like I don't know, I don't like I don't think of it as any kind of inconvenience. I don't think of it any like. Like I don't want someone to have to deal with what I do with. Like we wanted to create something that would eliminate Someone that's asking for help not getting it. I was willing to make a bunch phone calls. Someone else might not be that willing, right, it's crazy. Like that I mean over, since we've been doing it for a Few years now.
Speaker 4:Like I don't know, I don't bring it up. I got I don't bring it up people to bring it up and be like Like a these that he does wrath or he does he does recovery awareness foundation. I'm like yeah, I don't, like I'm, it's not actually I have a story, right. So I actually I don't remember who it was, but I ran into someone and I had on a raff shirt and they just walked up to me like oh my god, like those guys that that group, like they helped me get into a spot, like I needed it. I was trying to get into a place on a treatment and they helped me get in the spot. I was like that's awesome. I just had a regular conversation with another. Recovered at it, just about like that's awesome, so what he's gonna do now. So, like it's. It's almost like the like, the premise of just try to help somebody and don't get caught. I love it, like you know. I mean, try to help somebody, don't get caught doing it.
Speaker 4:Right, so selflessness yeah just out of the way, like when, like when we were in the beginning, when we were given scholarships, we would always like just post a picture on social media of us giving a scholarship and people used to be like oh, that's who you helped? Absolutely not. That is the person that directs wherever we are helping.
Speaker 1:Yeah, like they're the car, they're the next conduit to help the person.
Speaker 4:It's the house manager or the director of the facility that we're helping them through right, because obviously there's channels where the funds have to go to To make sure the funds are sure apply where they need to be applied, right. So, like our like, the main thing it's just If we can't help, we will help.
Speaker 1:It's so neat that the impact really the impact goes beyond the individual. It affects the family, it affects the community, it affects, just keeps going.
Speaker 2:As you to, as both of you are answering Luke's question. It makes me think about the concept of the idea of lifting up the spirit, that that's also how I feel when I help other people, that because our spirit are always like going through emotions right, there are sometimes when my spirit is the flame is almost die.
Speaker 2:You know, but then when you connect with people that you have help or that you mean something, the spirit is lifted up and we live for those moments when things get tough.
Speaker 2:You know, and I have a friend in recovery. He was like almost dying of a terminal illness and he was in the hospital and his wife has already Made an announcement on social media that this is a time come say goodbye. And then I had a breakfast with his individual a couple of weeks ago and he was telling me that story again, that he thought he was dying but then a good friend of His, who's been in recovery with him for a long time, came and said hi to him but like, when he came in, he just saw him in these eyes and his spirit lifted up. And that's exactly the words that he used, that his spirit lifted up and and he's alive today. You know, it's just so crazy again, like these are like unseen things, like we cannot really see it by, like we can feel it. And that's what I'm hearing from your answer to that. You keep doing this because it lifts your spirit up.
Speaker 1:Yeah this is awesome. Thank you guys for joining us. Is there anything that maybe we haven't touched on, that you guys want to mention?
Speaker 4:I can mention two things.
Speaker 4:Give it to us the 30th of this month is Believe the you guys, you could call it the third, fifth annual. Nothing. We lost two years with COVID, right, lost two years of COVID, so we couldn't do it. So we're having the I guess, third able tattoos for a cause over in a insincerable at Ink Dye Studio and this. That that's actually gonna be a pretty huge event over on that side of the bridge. Yeah, they're basically shutting down downtown center. Well, I have, I think so far, almost like 30 or 40 vendors, three live bands, dj, obviously there'll be tattoos, bunch of guest artists, so that's gonna be a good time. That's another free event. And then we have a drug education awareness festival on October 14th at Pitmoir, right here in Annapolis. That's another free community event where we'll have Food, music, celebrity softball game, soccer clinic, basketball clinic. Napa's blues will be out there doing a clinic. Yep, that's awesome.
Speaker 1:That's really it, and we'll be sure to put all that into the notes of this and YouTube, as well as the podcast platform that you're listening. One will put all this in the notes. Well, we appreciate it if someone wants to donate directly to recovery awareness foundation how they do so.
Speaker 4:I would say the easiest way would be just Through Facebook, our Facebook page or our website websites, probably the easiest. So it's just recovery awareness foundation not work. And let me get help, give help.
Speaker 1:Get help, give help, and we'll put that in the episode notes too. And if you, if you want it even easier, we've got a donate button on our Podcast. If you donate on this episode that you're listening to, it'll say literally donate or support the podcast. Not only will we give it, we might even just match it. So Donate, guys. Donate, anything will do, will, will match, unless you guys are really doing, then we might cap it.
Speaker 4:We appreciate the support absolutely.
Speaker 2:I do have one concluding question for both Sam and Newton, for for myself and also for the listeners too, because you guys are very busy and stay very active and I don't know if it's your experience to sometimes Peep. I get people out, you know, like being with people is great, list my spirit out, but also there are times where I get so wiped out. So are there things that helps you decompress or what do you guys do to fuel it back? Other things that helps you guys unwind or do you guys deal with like burnout or anything?
Speaker 3:me. I Always, I'm always moving right. I Physical activity Was very good for me. A box I meditate, I don't. Just every time I can, I spend time with my family. You know me, they are, they're my glue. You know what I mean. Like they, you know, they're, they're my glue, you know. So I mean, do I think for me, like a lot of physical activity and Staying in contact with individuals, oh, that know me, that are not afraid to hurt my feelings and be honest with me, is very important, right, cause I can center myself with somebody that's like hypersensitive, right? So like sometimes I need to. I definitely need somebody to just be honest with me and hold me accountable. You know what I mean, I don't know Knowing. Luckily I have people that are willing to do that, you know. So physical activity, just trying my best to stay in the groove of my own, like personal recovery.
Speaker 4:So I have a one year old right, she just turned one and like, anytime I'm with her, I'm like everything's good, Like it's not, everything's good, Like anything that's bad is going on or anything that is it's all just good. Like it's not even, like I don't know I could be having the worst week or the worst few days, and then that just makes it all better. Like it's not. It literally just won't show me, like it's not nothing as bad as it seems.
Speaker 1:It all will be okay. Don't confuse tired eyes with eyes of bliss. They look similar, but she's cool.
Speaker 4:Like she just she's a good baby, she just hangs out. It's like unconditional love, man. She does it's, it is fan.
Speaker 1:Isn't it?
Speaker 4:It's fantastic.
Speaker 1:Great teachers, aren't they?
Speaker 4:Yeah, I play softball a few nights a week and that's really it.
Speaker 4:I play softball and my daughter and then like I'm usually at work quite a bit, so usually the day's off is when try to get some foundation stuff in. We have some things that we need to drop off or stuff like that. Try to get that stuff done and it's all good. 80% of my day could be trash, but that 20% like if I just come home and just relax and get back in the remember when it's not that bad, that's right. Natitude, gratitude, baby, you know what I mean. It's not that bad Like I've had. I've had bad days that are bad days Right A bad day and a job that I've been able to hold, that I have retirement in and I have like you know what I mean Like luxury problems. We gotta just remember. It's like if I didn't get clean, literally none of this would be possible, Like there's not even a little gray area. I know for a fact I would have nothing that I have right now if I didn't change the way I was living.
Speaker 2:Some beautiful perspective, isn't it?
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Thank you. That's a really good message, and I love that message because what I'm hearing is that we wanna live a life that is worth living for and we can make it that way. I think that's a really good message for this month as well, because, yeah, when I was deep in my addiction that I didn't feel that way. It's not worth it, but it is worth it.
Speaker 3:Yes, it is no matter where you are.
Speaker 2:So, yeah, I really appreciate this conversation and really appreciate what you guys do for the community.
Speaker 1:Thank, you Appreciate it and thank you guys for kicking us off this month and my perspective is you guys aren't recovery, you're recovery action foundation. You guys are doing things. So thank you, thank you guys for doing that. We appreciate it.
Speaker 1:Thanks for having us as we draw this episode to a close. The Essence of Recovery Awareness Month radiates like a beacon of hope. Guided by the dedicated leadership of Newton and Sam, the Recovery Awareness or Action Foundation paves a path of hope, light transformation for individuals and communities navigating the intricate terrain of recovery and the weeks ahead. We continue our journey of illumination as we delve into part two of the series National Suicide Prevention Week next week. Just as Recovery Awareness Month unites us in celebrating resilience, the upcoming week serves as a powerful reminder of our shared responsibility to be there for one another, even in the darkest of moments. Let's remember that every voice matters, every active compassion counts and together we can bring about transformation and change. Stay tuned for another episode that explores the power of unity, empathy and reaching out as a helping hand. Thank you for being part of the collective mission for health, understanding and renewal. My name is Luke DeBooy.
Speaker 2:I'm Zell. Thank you all for this name.
Speaker 1:See you next week. Thanks guys.