PADUCAH, KY- On Saturday, Sep. 1, CenterPoint Recovery Center for Men will hold its Eighth Annual Recovery Picnic at Noble Park. The event is one of several throughout the year that CenterPoint hosts to bring awareness to substance abuse issues as well as give residents a taste of what it’s like to have fun without being under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
The picnic is open to the entire recovery community, which allows CenterPoint residents the opportunity to meet others who have successfully navigated the struggles of substance abuse and are now in recovery.
The crowd has grown from a small gathering the first year to hundreds of families planning to attend. CenterPoint expects more than 500 people to be at this year’s picnic.
There is no cost to attend the picnic however, families are asked to bring a side dish or a dessert. Donations will be accepted but are not necessary.
Thelma Hunter, CenterPoint’s Director said, “We always have a great turnout and it just gets bigger and bigger every year. And, the people that come are so generous! We use their donations to help meet resident’s needs.”
She continued. “Many of our residents come to CenterPoint without so much as a toothbrush. Donations allow us to be help residents with things they need. Recovery is hard enough, we don’t want them worrying about not having toothpaste.”
Proceeds also are used to offset the costs of resident’s medical expenses such as dental care, eye glasses, and prescriptions as well as to help program participants earn their GED.
The picnic features food, live music, inflatables and face painting for children along with other family activities. This allows residents to be with their families during their treatment time. Families are an important part of the recovery process and the more support someone who is working towards recovery has, the more likely they will be successful.
