Flint Township View

Serenity House hosts 2019 Recovery Walk and Rally


FLINT — Overdose is climbing according to the Greater Flint Health Coalition, which is all the more reason to celebrate those on the other side of addiction at the 4th Annual Flint Recovery Walk & Rally, Sept. 28 from 1-6 p.m.

This event aims to raise awareness surrounding addiction recovery and the current opioid epidemic our community is currently experiencing. As a nation we are losing 70,000 people per year to overdose; surpassing accidental deaths of car accidents.

The walk and rally will be held at the Flat Lot, 125 E. Kearsley Street. Keynote speaker is Flint City Councilman Santino Guerra. Other speakers include Detroit’s Michael Johnson who is an addiction’s counselor and person in long term recovery and Livingston County’s Courtney Reineck of the Amber Reineck House, an organization named after Courtney’s late sister Amber who died from an overdose.

Chris O’Droski will be emcee for the event, as he is also a person in long-term recovery with the help of a SMART recovery and Refuge Recovery program. Other highlights include a 3k walk through the city, a bounce house for the kids, free pizza at 4 p.m. and a drumming meditation ceremony with StrongHeart DrumMedicine. There will also be a remembrance ceremony for the people lost to addiction and overdose and complementary holistic recovery support throughout the day.

“We are losing more and more people from addiction and overdose. This is not just an individual problem, it’s a family issue, a community issue. Our best defenses from this rattling disease and problem is to talk openly about recovery. It’s the stigma that keeps us sick, it’s the inability to talk about recovery without being stigmatized. When people are open about their struggles it lightens the burden for the next person,” says Tara Moreno, executive director of Serenity House.

Visit www.facebook.com/flintserenityhouse or www.eventbrite.com/e/5th-annual flint-recovery-walk-rally-2019-tickets 59535468188 for early registration or stop by the event by 1p.m. (walk begins promptly at 2 p.m.). Free pizza provided by Happy’s Pizza and Hungry Howie’s at 4 p.m. A raffle with prizes of free virtual time from the Sandbox and kids’ bikes will be available throughout the day.

Sponsors for the event include Genesys Medical Rehabilitation Group, Genesee Health Systems, Genesee Health Center, New Paths, Walmart, Genesee County Prevention Coalition, Hurley’s Hopeful Hearts, Hope Network, Hope and Healing, Hope Network, New Oakland Family Center, The Renew Group, The Sandbox, and Kimberly Ann’s Salon .

The Serenity House of Flint is a Recovery Community Organization that advocates for people in addiction recovery and provides holistic options for the community. If you are interested in volunteering for the event or learning more about our services, visit www.flintserenityhouse.org. or contact Tara Moreno, Executive Director at 810-893- 1276 or email at tara@flintserenityhouse.org. P.S.