Better Life in Recovery: Year in Review and Plans for 2015

2014 was a great year for Better Life in Recovery’s (BLiR) mission, Transforming Lives with Recovery. To meet our mission we engaged in community service, education and awareness events that celebrated people in long-term recovery. To see how BLiR has progressed, we will look at 2013 and 2014 events:

2013- 3 Events- 100 People – 5 Sponsors

1.      River Clean Up – We picked up about 100 pounds of trash. 5 attended

2.      Recovery Day at Hammons Field - 22 attended a game

3.      Recovery Month BBQ – FREE games, food, a bounce house and over $500 in door prizes. 75 attended

2014 – 6 Events – 700 People – 25 Sponsors  

1.      Springfield Elementary School – Painted and cleaned up two playgrounds. 20-25 volunteers each time.

2.      Recovery Day at Hammons Field – A parade around the outfield of people in recovery, family and supporters before the game. We had a table at the front gate, State Representative Burlison supported us by throwing out the first pitch and one of our members sang during the 7^th inning stretch. 300 attended. 

3.      Getting Dirty for Staying Clean 5K/10K Trail Run and BBQ – A run followed by FREE bounce houses, face painting, clowns, BBQ, massages and a chiropractor. Senator Dixon presented a proclamation for Recovery Month from the State and Councilman Compton had a proclamation from the city of Springfield. Over 200 attended.

4.      River Clean Up – For $20 attendee’s got dinner, breakfast, s’mores, campsite, T-Shirt, ½ a canoe, over $1,000 in door prizes, live music, 3 speakers: 1 from NA, AA and Celebrate Recovery. We picked up almost 500 pounds of trash. 75 attended.

5.      The Anonymous People at Missouri State – Partnered with SoBEAR, a sober collegiate organization, for a screening. Door prizes included an iPad and $100 Visa Card. 80 attended.

BLiR also did an educational session at the 2014 Consumer Conference, was featured in Addiction Professional Magazine, twice on KY3, once on KOLR 10 and twice on KTTS.

Next year we are aiming for 24 events: a BLiR stream team, a Recovery Ride, the 3^rd Annual Keeping it Clean River Float and Campout, 2^nd Annual Recovery Day at Hammons Field, 2^nd Annual Getting Dirty for Staying Clean 5K/10K, a weekly bowling night and a softball team.

We are in talks to do a 5K in Branson, a 5K on campus with SoBEAR,  2 playgrounds a month during the summer with Springfield Public Schools and possibly a BLiR community garden. BLiR is currently fumbling through the 501c3 process and forming a board of directors.

BLiR will continue making a difference in 2015. We require your help to be successful! The more people get involved, the more we impact our communities. BLiR volunteer and board meetings are both in January. Please contact me for more information so you can join us in sharing recovery and reducing stigma!

OUR IMMEDIATE NEEDS: board members, event planners, volunteers, graphic designers, fundraisers, grant writers, an accountant, an attorney, help with 501c3 process, marketing, publicist and donations and sponsors for events in 2015.Bottom line, BLiR is making an impact in 2015.