Recovery Day is an annual event, first held on September 30, 2012, which demonstrates and celebrates the ability of those with drug, alcohol and behavioral addictions to achieve long-term

sobriety Sobriety is the condition of not having any measurable levels or effects from alcohol or drugs. Sobriety is also considered to be the natural state of a human being at birth. A person in a state of sobriety is considered sober. Organizations o ...

and live productive and healthy lives. The event was held in 12 major Canadian cities in 2013, 25 cities in 2014, and 30 cities in 2015. Recovery Day is organized in part by Faces and Voices of Recovery. Recovery Day is an important holiday for Canadians.

Origins

AnnMarie McCullough and Lorinda Strang of the Orchard Recovery Center on Bowen Island developed the concept of Recovery Day based on similar recovery advocacy movements in the United States. In the US, September is officially recognized by the

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA; pronounced ) is a branch of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. It is charged with improving the quality and availability of treatment and rehabilitative services ...

(a division of the

United States Department of Health and Human Services The United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is a cabinet-level executive branch department of the U.S. federal government created to protect the health of all Americans and providing essential human services. Its motto is ...

) as "Recovery Month." In order to build a strong team to lead their initiative, Lorinda and AnnMarie joined with David Berner and Chuck Doucette of the Drug Prevention Network of Canada as well as Giuseppe Ganci of the Last Door and they began planning a Canadian equivalent based on the same principle of celebrating recovery from addictions. September 30, 2012 was declared Recovery Day through an official proclamation from

Vancouver Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...

Mayor Gregor Robertson. The idea of Recovery Day spread to other major Canadian cities such as

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

where a similar event was also held in Centennial Square. Ottawa's mayor signed a similar proclamation. The following year, 12 cities hosted events. In 2014, 20 cities held Recovery Day events. Close to 30 cities held events in 2015.

Event

More than 600 people gathered in front of the

Vancouver Art Gallery The Vancouver Art Gallery (VAG) is an art museum in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The museum occupies a adjacent to Robson Square in downtown Vancouver, making it the largest art museum in Western Canada by building size. Designed by Franc ...

on September 30, 2012. The event included speakers sharing stories of their experience and gratitude, musical performances, speeches by local politicians (including MP John Weston, Parks Board Commissioner Constance Barnes, City Councilor

Geoff Meggs Geoff Meggs is a Canadian politician, who served on Vancouver, British Columbia's City Council from 2008 to 2017. He was first elected in the 2008 municipal election, and resigned his seat on city council in 2017 to accept a job as chief of sta ...

, and MLA

Randy Hawes Randy Clifford Hawes (born 1947) is a Canadian politician from British Columbia, and previously the mayor of Mission, British Columbia. Hawes was previously a Member of Legislative Assembly of British Columbia representing the provincial riding ...

) and a march through the streets of

Downtown Vancouver Downtown Vancouver is the central business district and the city centre neighbourhood of Vancouver, Canada, on the northwestern shore of the Burrard Peninsula in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. It occupies most of the north sh ...

. The event closed with over 400 people joining hands in a circle to recite the

Serenity Prayer The Serenity Prayer is a prayer attributed to the American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr (1892–1971) in 1943. However, Winnifred Crane Wygal wrote an early version in the Santa Cruz Sentinel of March 15, 1933, as noted in the above cited research ...

Upcoming

Recovery Day is scheduled to be held in dozens of Canadian cities in September 2017.

Observances in the United States

On August 31, 2017,

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ful ...

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...

proclaimed September as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month.Alt URL
/ref>

References

{{Reflist

External links

Recovery Day Canada
– Recovery Day September observances Observances in Canada Drug rehabilitation Fall events in Canada