By Dawn De Busk

Staff Writer

There was a time when mentioning the use of drugs or alcohol would be grounds for being disqualified from competing in a pageant.

That has changed. The stigma surrounding being in recovery from substances is crumbling.

Mrs. Maine 2024 Erin Hamlin, who hails from Poland, took part in the 4th Annual Recovery Remembrance Walk in Bridgton.

She was among the speakers who encouraged people to share their stories, to support others who are struggling, and to not lose hope because a life in recovery can be a satisfying one.  

As a Substance Abuse Disorder (SAD) Educator, a recovery ambassador and someone wearing the Mrs. Maine crown,  Hamlin has had opportunities to highlight her sobriety.

“I am a person in long-term recovery. It is important for me to speak openly about that because it helps to reduce the stigma. I am very passionate about educating young people,” she said. “I started using drugs and alcohol when I was a sophomore in high school and I developed a pretty severe Substance Abuse Disorder (SAD) in my 20s.”

“SAD effects more than 60 percent of Maine families, including my family,” she said.

“I am so proud to be substance-free and raising my kids with a lot of awareness. I try to bring my own children and my students to as many recovery events as possible, just to normalize recovery. I try to normalize talking about recovery because we live in a society that so glorifies — forget about normalizes — but glorifies substance use, especially legal substances like alcohol and now marijuana that are really damaging to people of all ages,” Hamlin explained.

“I am trying do my small part to bring awareness to the dangers of it and the importance of finding other choices. We can discover more ways to find fun and a sense of belonging through moving our bodies, through being involved in our communities and through finding things we love to do that are substance free,” she said.

The Recovery Remembrance Walk, hosted by Lake Region Recovery Center (LRRC) and Crooked River Counseling, is held in honor of Dr. Peter Leighton, who worked in the recovery field and died from brain cancer.

After people participated in the walk, everybody reconvened in the field behind the counseling center.

Hamlin was one of about a half-dozen speakers invited to the event.

“I am celebrating 993 days substance free,” Hamlin said told the large crowd.

Her statement was met with applause and whistles.

“That number does not tell my whole story. But I am proud of that number because I am every day getting a day back. There are days I did not get to have a childhood because of the choices that I made. There are days that I did not get to be a good student or a good athlete. There are days that I was not a good mom. So, I am super proud to be 993 days substance free today,” she said.

She encouraged other people to speak out about their experiences with drugs and alcohol.

“It’s important for us to share our stories. So if you get an opportunity, even if it’s one-on-one, I want to encourage you to share your story around substance abuse disorder. The people who shared their stories with me over the last 10 years are the reason why I get to stand up and be an ambassador for recovery today. And, I travel across the state and hopefully share something that will plant a seed in someone else,” she said.

“Recovery is possible. Don’t give up hope. Have those conversations,” she told the crowd. 

While being the current Mrs. Maine American gives her a platform to share her passion for sobriety, being in pageants was one impetus for taking her recovery to heart. 

“I was crowned in April 2024. That was second time I competed. I competed the first time in 2021. And, I was still pretty new into my sobriety. I have been on my path of recovery for a decade, but my official sober date was inspired by being in the pageant. It was a turning point for me. I asked myself, ‘Am I really going to stand up there and speak about this? And if so, I owe it to myself and my community to be fully substance free.’ So, the pageant journey helped to solidify my sobriety,” she said.

Reach out and help others

Kimberly Leighton-Hart who was married to Peter Leighton also spoke about reducing the stigma associated with SAD and recovery. She also encouraged folks to help one another.  

“A lot of people don’t know that Dr. Peter Leighton was in recovery himself. He struggled with the stigma himself and whether or not he should put it out there. As he got comfortable with his own sobriety, he felt more comfortable sharing this and not being afraid of it,” Leighton-Hart said. 

“We are a recovery family,” she announced.

She recalled how difficult it was for him to fit in his night-time recovery meetings twice a week, with five children at home and chores to be done.

“He knew that going to meetings was the number one thing that he needed to do in order to show up and be a dad, a husband, a son and the doctor we all loved,” she said.

“Still, today I have people reaching out to me, saying they have a family member who is struggling and where can they go,” she said. “I am so happy that we are equipped with these resources in this town to be able to send them to all the wonderful people, faculty and staff at Lakes Region Recovery Center and Crooked River Counseling.”

She gave advice to the audience. Just being available for someone can be that person’s lifeline, she said.

“If you see someone who is in need or hear some sort of conversation going on behind you. You can say, ‘I know of this recovery center, I know of this hospital, I know of this magazine.’ Reach out to people. Share something you know might change their life,” Leighton-Hart said.

Recovery comes full circle

Another person who spoke to the crowd on Saturday was actually a speaker when LRRC first opened up six years ago.

LRRC Executive Director Tracey Martin introduced her.

“She’s been with Lakes Region Recovery Center since 2018. She told her story at our very first ribbon-cutting behind the Bridgton Hospital, where we used to rent space. She is a certified Intentional Peers Support Specialist, a Recovery Coach, a college student, a wife and mother — Julie,” Martin said.

Julie paid tribute to Leighton, saying he contributed greatly to her sobriety.

“I want to start first in remembering Dr. Leighton. He was a huge help to me getting sober during Covid. I called and asked for help. He asked me if I would come in and do urine drug screens just to keep me accountable. I was battling alcoholism at the time,” she said. “He would call me every week just to see how I was doing. He shared a little bit of his own story with me. So, I will never forget how he helped me at the beginning of my last recovery.”

“I was not a person who got this the first time or the second or the third. I was out there, in and out, in and out. I have a long history of substance abuse disorder and mental health challenges,” Julie said.

She gave credit to the community of people who’ve helped her in sobriety.

“I am in recovery and I am connected to my recovery community, both AA and NA. The recovery center has been huge. I volunteer down there. Everybody in this community has helped make that possible for me,” Julie said. “I was one that nobody thought was going to make it. Here I am. I have three years, eight months sobriety.”

“Life is possible. Having a life in recovery is possible, a happy life, a stable life,” she said.

If you are someone you know is struggling with substance use disorder or alcohol use, call 1-800-73SOBER or call the Lakes Region Recovery Center hotline (207) 803-8709.