Piedmont Community Services (PCS) will hold its 4th annual National Recovery Month Celebration on Saturday, September 7, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., at Dehart Park in Stuart.
PCS Community Recovery Coordinator Kat Heredia said every year the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) hosts September as its National Recovery Month from substance use and or mental health.
“It’s really just a day where a lot of our staff who, like myself, I’m a person in long-term recovery, we come out, we want to have a really good time, kind of ‘destigma’ around what it’s like to get into recovery. It’s a really great way to get out in the community and let people know recovery is for everyone and they don’t have to be alone,” she said, adding the event is rotated each year to different areas served.
Heredia said she believes it’s important for people to know that even though the event is based around recovery and celebrating the journey of recovery, it’s open for anyone in the community.
“It doesn’t have to just be someone who has a lived experience. It can be for friends and family members and senior citizens and kids. It’s really all across the board. I want everyone to feel welcome,” she said.
Heredia said the event will start at 10 a.m. with opening comments from Patrick County Board of Supervisors Chairman Doug Perry, of the Smith River District.
The Walk for Hope begins at 11 a.m., Heredia said, and explained the walk will be along DeHart Park. She estimated it may be about 20 minutes long. “We just picked something very simple that most people can maneuver.”
Community resources, from employment opportunities to connection and counseling agencies, will be on site along with some faith-based organizations will be on-site, as well as other vendors. “Some of them will be selling some items. We do allow some vendors to sell items if they like,” she said.
She noted some people and organizations will sponsor things like inflatable bouncy houses or activities.
“We’re going to try and do like a tie-dye activity this year that went over really well last year,” she said.
“That’s when people can start perusing the vendors. There’ll be music playing and some people sharing their stories,” she said.
Nearly two dozen vendors were on site at last year’s event, Heredia said, and she’s aiming for about 20 this year.
Boxed lunches from Subway will be served, “we’ll also have snow cones, popcorn machines, and I believe, cotton candy as well. All of that is free, along with inflatables and bouncy houses for the kids,” she said.
