Remembrance walk this Saturday
Recovery center needs volunteers
By Dawn De Busk
Staff Writer
It is a well-known proverb, dating back more than 500 years: Many hands make light work. Community members are needed to help the Bridgton-based recovery center with its annual Remembrance Walk that is scheduled to take place in less than a few weeks on Saturday, Sept. 10.
Also, creative types might enjoy making some deco-mesh wreaths to be sold as part of the center’s fundraising effort. “We always need volunteers,” according to Lakes Region Recovery Center (LRRC) Communications Specialist Candy Greenberg. Basically, volunteers will be put to good use before after and during the 2nd annual Recovery Remembrance Walk. “We need volunteers to help us with the setting up of the tables, the tents, the chairs. Anyone who wants to help can just show up at the Crooked River Counseling Center. We will be there be 9 a.m.,” she said.
The actual event begins at 11 a.m., but folks will be setting up a few hours beforehand.
“For the walk, we need people with loud voices and big smiles,” she said. “We will need volunteers for afterwards. When everything is over and the dust settles, we will need help taking everything back to the center,” Greenberg said. The recovery event that takes place on Sept. 10 will end around 2 p.m. For people who have other commitments on that Saturday, making wreaths would help with fundraising sales.
“What the fundraising does is: It enables us to do community service and charitable donations. We pick an organization every Christmas. Last Christmas, it was Bridge Crossing. We buys gifts for the children,” Greenberg said.
Bridge Crossing, which is a residential program for children aged 5 to 14 years, is located in Bridgton.
“We did a ‘Twelve Days of Christmas’ last year. We did a drawing and a big Christmas party for everyone,” she said. “We give oil vouchers for heating oil. The oil vouchers —that’s a big one. The funds go back into the community, for sure.” People can support the fundraising by purchasing items or they can create art to be sold. Deco-mesh wreaths are being made to span all the seasons such as Easter, Independence Day and Thanksgiving.
If someone wants to embellish existing wreaths or start a new one, the center is open from Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. However, the center will be closed for Labor Day, this Monday. LRRC is located behind the Bridgton Hospital, 25 Hospital Drive, Suite E. To find out more about ways to volunteer, call 803-8707.
By Dawn De Busk
Staff Writer
Remembrance is defined as the action of remembering something or someone. A remembrance is the act of recalling someone who has died, especially during a ceremony.
The second annual Recovery Remembrance Walk will taking place on the second Saturday in September, which is Sept. 10. The walk will begin at 11 a.m. at Crooked River Counseling Center. The center is located at 87 South High St., near the Bridgton Hospital.
The Remembrance Walk is being done in honor of the late Dr. Peter Leighton. He died from brain cancer last summer. He dedicated his life to helping those in recovery.
Dr. Leighton served as the medical director at Lakes Region Recovery Center, according to LRRC Communications Specialist Candy Greenberg.
“This year’s recovery walk will be bigger and better than last year’s,” Greenberg said. “We are planning a longer walk with more walkers and more music. We’ve extended the walk through Shorey Park to visit Dr. Leighton’s memorial bench,” she said.
“The memorial bench was purchased last year after the walk with donations that we received during our celebration. LLRC matched the funds to buy the bench. It is in a beautiful, beautiful spot along the Stevens Brook in Shorey Park,” she said.
“When the walkers arrive at that spot, Kimberly Leighton, Dr. Leighton’s widow, will be at the bench to say a few words in remembrance of him,” she said.
“From Shorey Park, our second stop will be at the future site of the Lakes Region Recovery Center, 2 Elm Street, and then back through Pondicherry Park,” she said.
During the portion of the Remembrance Walk that happens at Pondicherry Park, the organizers are asking the walker be silent and somber.
“The tone will change a bit. Going there, we are full of music and joyfulness. It’s a celebration, dancing in the street,” Greenberg said.
“Through the park, we want to be respectful and reverent,” she said. “When we get to Pondicherry Park, it will be a silent remembrance walk, more somber to remember Dr. Leighton, who died from brain cancer, and everyone who has died from overdose.”
September is National Recovery Month, Greenberg pointed out.
“There are events going on statewide. All the different recovery centers are planning special remembrances and events,” she said.
After people take part in the walk, everybody will gather back at the counseling center’s lawn for a number of activities and a free lunch.
“We will have lot of tables where people can purchase T-shirts. We will have a crafts-for-sale table. We will have a recovery resource table. We will have Narcan available and we will be doing demonstrations and training,” she said.
A disc jockey (DJ) will be playing music for the event while attendees are having lunch and throughout the event.
There is no charge for the lunch, which will consist of hamburgers, hot dogs, chip and Dippin’ Dots ice cream treats, she said.
“We will also have the purple powder salute after lunch. We have doubled the purple powder canisters. We have 50,” Greenberg said.
The event will include speakers from CRCC and LRRC, she said.
For the children, there will be a bouncy house with a slide set up in addition to outdoors games like corn hole.
The entire event should last from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., she said.
For walkers, there will be some signs already made, but people can design their own sign and bring one from home.
“Last year, we dressed up. We have some really cool headpieces. If they want to bring their signs and wear as much purple as they want, they can. Wear crazy hats and purple wigs just to make it fun and more of a celebration of recovery,” Greenberg said.
