Last Sunday, more than 20 agencies that provide mental health services gathered at the Embarcadero Marina Park to celebrate recovery from drug and alcohol abuse.
The event was scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. but was pushed back to 11 a.m. due to a conflict in scheduling with the City of San Diego and another civic event.
Emcee, Susan Bower, who is director of operations San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency /Behavioral Health Services and Nick Macchione, also a director at Health and Human Services, got the event underway, with Hon. Alvin (Bud) Green, judge, Superior Court serving as the event’s keynote speaker.
A 12-step program tradition, the “sobriety countdown” set the tone for those seeking hope and continued recovery from drug and alcohol addiction by having a speaker call out lengths of sobriety and clean time while those in attendance raised their hands when their particular length of time free from their chemical dependence was called.
After the opening ceremony, the Walk For Recovery, which was led by County Commissioner Frank Lechner began. An estimated 300 people participated in the walk and festival.
“An event of this magnitude takes a great deal of planning and people to support it,” said Lechner, who is also a staff member at San Diego LGBT Weekly. “We would like to acknowledge and give a very big thank you to everyone involved in making this year’s event a huge success.”
