SIDNEY – The first “Recovery is for Everyone: Community Celebration” organized by New Vision kicked off at 4 p.m. on Sept. 29 on the courthouse square in downtown Sidney with 56 other organizations from different counties nearby joining them to show their solidarity and provide resources to the community.
New Vision Administrator Megan Campbell organized this event so anyone in need of recovery resources could find them all in one place and so leaders of the organizations present could network with each other. New Vision’s role in recovery is medical stabilization during withdrawal and getting patients to treatment. The program has been in Wilson Health in Sidney for over three years and has helped over 400 people get to treatment so far.
“I’m just so happy about the turnout; it makes me emotional,” Campbell said. “Just to see everybody working together in one place for recovery, that’s like what the whole point of the recovery community is is working together so that you can have stuff like this happen. That’s when the magic happens, when you coordinate and when you work together to get people treatment, so that’s what we’re here to do.”
One of the organizations involved was the Sidney-Shelby County YMCA, and their purpose for attending was to provide information on health support classes and other programs they offer for children and families.
“It’s a great turnout. There’s so many vendors. This is the most vendors we’ve seen in Shelby County healthcare before,” YMCA Wellness Director Suann Kleinhans said about the event.
“I think it talks a lot to the fact that everybody is focused on mental health and on recovery and that this is a big buzz word around our community that we all recognize needs some help,” YMCA Operations Director Jamie Crippin said about the organization turnout.
Morgan Mitchell of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Shelby and Darke County also mentioned the impressive organization turnout and why her organization decided to participate. The purpose of the Big Brothers Big Sisters program is to match volunteers with children to form a one-to-one mentoring relationship.
“I think a big part is just getting our name out there. Big Brothers Big Sisters is trying to expand, we’re trying to recruit. Recruitment is a big thing right now. So just getting out in the community and letting them know that we’re here for them,” Mitchell said.
