Addicts, families get help at Trumbull recovery summit today

CHAMPION

On Saturday evening, a night of entertainment for most, more than 100 people crowded the lecture hall at the Trumbull Career and Technical Center not for enjoyment, but for support.

They were there to hear about drug and alcohol addiction, the damage left in its wake, and, most importantly, stories of hope.

Most of the audience was composed of families of the addicted and a few admitted addicts.

“My daughter, who is 35, has been a heroin addict since she was 20, and I can’t even tell you where she is right now,” said Bonnie Wilson of Champion, one of the speakers at the event billed as “Hope for Recovery from Addiction.”

“Drug addiction is something we can’t fix,” said Wilson, who wound up adopting her daughter’s child. “Our children have to fix this on their own, [but] God help us — we’re going to keep on trying.”

The Alliance for Substance Abuse Prevention, a community project of the Trumbull County Mental Health and Recovery Board, spent more than four months planning the gathering and brought in more than 20 community and private groups that offered information and assistance. ASAP also released its Drug and Crime Prevention Strategic Plan. “We’re spreading hope and giving hope to families,” said Lauren Thorp, ASAP project director.

For more on the story, read Sunday's Vindicator or Vindy.com.