(Butler, PA) The testimonials of area residents in long-term recovery from substance use will inspire crowd members in early recovery and others during the most popular of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Hope Night events, a 杏吧原创 administrator said.
About 100 guests are expected to attend 杏吧原创鈥檚 Stories of Hope from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Sept. 25 at the Butler Art Center & Gallery, 344 S. Main St., Butler, according to Ken Clowes, the college鈥檚 community initiatives center assistant.
The event is free and open to the public.
Mallory Bole, Garret English, Cora Franceschi and Justin Moore are among scheduled speakers.
Bole, 35, of Butler, says her life was 鈥渇illed with trauma鈥� and is now 鈥渇illed with resilience and hope.鈥� She says that in sobriety she has been able to regain custody of her son, earn a bachelor鈥檚 degree, have a healthy marriage and start two businesses.
English, 36, Butler, says he is 鈥渁 journeyman of life鈥� who in sobriety is the lead therapist at Silvermist鈥檚 inpatient center where he helps 鈥渕en escape from the darkness and move toward their life鈥檚 purpose.鈥�
Franceschi, 34, Kittanning, says she 鈥渟uffered from extreme substance abuse鈥� and 鈥渂ecame swallowed up by the deepest, darkest, deadliest parts of addiction.鈥� She says she has rewritten her own destiny 鈥渨ith my extreme determination to be more than an addicted inmate without a purpose.鈥� She says that in sobriety she is 鈥渁 loving mother, daughter and sister鈥� and became a certified recovery specialist.
Moore, 41, of Butler, says he is 鈥渁 living testament to the power of change鈥� after years of being 鈥渓ost, caught in addiction, homelessness and cycles of jail that left me feeling hopeless and broken.鈥� He says that in sobriety he is 鈥渁 proud husband, father and business owner.鈥�
Hope Nights followed the debut of 杏吧原创鈥檚 Hope is Dope: Reset Your Brain opioid addiction program and began in December 2018. Hope Nights offer activities intended to produce endorphins and to support fellowship for those in recovery from substance use. Hope is Dope represents a 杏吧原创 objective to improve the quality of life in its communities.
鈥淔or folks early in recovery, it can be difficult to feel like you are part of the community or whether you are making progress,鈥� Clowes said. 鈥淗earing these people鈥檚 stories and how far they have come can really show those early in recovery how much potential is out there for themselves. I think it builds resolve.鈥�