Series aims to inform and help public with addiction
Photo by Linda Gallagher
Central Lake's Andrea Kline, a former meth addict and founder of Antrim County's Accessing Recovery program, speaks during last week's first installment of "Breaking the Stigma of Addiction," a three-week series of presentations designed to inform and educate the public on the effects of addiction. Seated behind Kline is (from left) Amy Brown of the Health Department of Northwest Michigan, Central Lake Police Chief Scott Barrett, recovering addict Woody Nitchman of Charlevoix, and Robin Sommer, of Central Lake, who has voluntarily worked to end narcotic addiction Antrim County after her son died of a drug overdose in 2015.
CENTRAL LAKE – A three week series of presentations that began last week is aiming to inform and help the public with the effects of addiction.
Entitled "Breaking the Stigma of Addiction," the series sponsored by Central Lake's Ursula House, along with the First Congregational Church, Adams Madams and the Blue Pelican, began on Thursday, Jan. 10 with three presenters at the Blue Pelican Event Room.
Approximately 30 people attended last week's event, which was emceed by Pastor Gary Bekkering of the First Congregational Church.
Bekkering first introduced Andrea Kline, a former meth addict and founder of Antrim County's Accessing Recovery program, which is offered to inmates withdrawing from addiction housed in the Antrim County Jail.
Kline, a resident of Central Lake, told the audience her personal story of addiction, noting that she has been in recovery since 2004.
"I quit drugs when I was told that I could lose my children," said the single mother of three. "It was another eight years before I learned of resources in this area that could help me in my recovery."
Now a case management coordinator with Addiction Services in Traverse City, Kline began the already very successful Accessing Recovery program last summer – with the assistance of former commissioner Melissa Zelenak, Antrim County Sheriff Dan Bean and Central Lake addiction recovery advocate Robin Sommer. Since that time, the program has been expanded to include Moral Reconation Therapy, and also works closely with the Central Lake chapter of Narcotics Anonymous "A Different Tomorrow" program.
"I have a passion and desire to help people, and get information out to the public that will help addicts in recovery," Kline said.
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