Recovery Celebration: Treasure Your Happiness!

Our annual Recovery Celebration held recently at The Barn Hall in Manton was a grand success, with a record turnout! The theme was Treasure Your Happiness and we had lots to be happy about! We honored several staff (Lauri Fischer, Ruth Pilon, Pen Scott, Pat Munsell, Alicia Drum, Linda Hawkins, Lynda Hogaboom, Amanda North) with You Made A Difference Awards.  We also presented Leading By Example Awards to people we are privileged to serve (Courtney, James, Doug, Doris, John, Tommy, Robert). We recognized those who represented their counties at the annual Walk A Mile In My Shoes Rally with Power To The People Awards.

We presented our special annual Stigma Busters Award to Certified Peer Support Specialist Beverly Preston-Weekly, for her efforts during the last year to change the world by speaking out in public about her experiences. We also presented our very special “Each One Reach One” Award created in honor of the late Ernie Reynolds to Carla in Cadillac.

Carla received the special Each One Reach One award for being living proof that recovery is possible as well as for all the many gifts she has shared with people with mental health challenges and staff alike at Northern Lakes Community Mental Health. She has demonstrated that recovery is possible through living in the community,  quitting smoking after more than 50 years, and many other things. She has given the greatest gift of time by getting involved in the art shows, volunteering at the office, working at Club Cadillac, attending groups, providing art for the office hallways, and being involved for many years in the Recipient Rights Advisory Council. She has promoted hope and inspiration by telling her story to others and sharing her story in the National Council of Behavioral Healthcare Magazine. She has practiced providing encouragement and uplifting others by telling jokes, making others laugh, getting involved in Club again, and showing through her own life that great accomplishment is possible. Congratulations, Carla!

We also had some great speakers, including our beloved CEO Greg Paffhouse; Colleen Jasper, Director of Consumer Relations at the Michigan Department of Community Health; and Jenifer Strauss, of Story Be Told Productions.