6th Annual Western Maine Recovery Rally

59 High Street,Paris ME 04281

18 September, 2022

Description

On Sunday, September 18th, the Sixth Annual Western Maine Recovery Rally will bring people from across Western Maine together to support and celebrate recovery from substance use disorder. As a part of SAMHSA’s National Recovery Month, the rally will be a show of community support for those impacted by substance use, an opportunity to learn more about addiction and recovery, and a chance to connect with local resources providing support to those already in or looking for recovery. The Recovery Rally will feature a unified march from downtown Norway, where people will gather at 11:00 am at Longley Square at 413 Main Street. Free rally t-shirts and signs to carry during the march will be available upon arrival. At 11:30, the crowd will begin a march, with police escorts, to Moore Park in South Paris, where a rally will be held with free food, resource tables, family games, and speakers starting at 1:00 pm. Speakers will share powerful personal stories about how their lives have been impacted by addiction and recovery. Over the history of this event, rally speakers have demonstrated that substance use impacts every corner of our communities and people from all walks of life. They’ve also shared stories of remarkable strength, compassion, and inspiration. This year, we will hear from Jacinta Hunt, the subject of a recent Hulu documentary film that follows a young woman in and out of the Maine Correctional Center as she attempts to break free from an inherited cycle of addiction and incarceration. Speakers will also include law enforcement, local legislators, and legislative representatives. For many attendees, the speakers are the highlight of this important event. Following the speakers, the family-friendly celebration will continue with lawn games, children’s activities, and more. The event will conclude at 3:30 pm, with transportation to take people back to their vehicles in Norway. There is also transportation for those coming from the River Valley region. This event will be held rain or shine. The event is being coordinated by the Western Maine Addiction Recovery Initiative (WMARI), a nonprofit organization devoted to providing a compassionate response to the crisis of substance use in Oxford County and the surrounding area. More information is available at www.wmari.org and WMARI’s Facebook page.