Since September 2019, Volunteers of America Mid-States’ (VOA) Recovery Community Center has served county residents in recovery.
September is National Recovery Month, and a local organization is celebrating five years of supporting Clay County individuals in recovery.
Since September 2019, Volunteers of America Mid-States’ (VOA) Recovery Community Center (RCC) has provided a safe place where people in recovery can meet, engage in fellowship and access resources.
The program focuses on Peer Recovery Support Services for individuals in recovery. VOA RCC’s Peer Support Specialists assist in removing barriers and providing access to support and resources for those who seek sobriety. RCC also hosts fun events and opportunities for its members to gather and connect as they continue their recovery journeys.
Manchester resident, Wesley (Wes) Wagers, has been a member of VOA RCC since the program opened its doors in 2019.
“I’m at meetings almost every day,” Wes said.
Wes’ battle with substance use began when he was 14 years old after the death of a close family member. His addiction progressed throughout his teens and adulthood until 2018 when he attended his first Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meeting.
“I met these people. They were sitting there and talking about not doing drugs. I had never heard of that,” he said. “I didn’t know I could stop doing drugs.”
After the meeting, Wes sought help and started treatment to overcome substance use disorder. He remained sober for close to a year and then relapsed.
“I had really no support. There was like two maybe three meetings a week, and in between those meetings my mind would play all these tricks on me,” Wes said.
Without sober supports, Wes struggled to maintain his sobriety. Then he found VOA RCC.
“RCC’s door was always open, and I was always welcomed in,” he said. “They have meetings four days a week, but it wasn’t even just for the meetings. It was my new hangout.”
Wes developed strong connections with other RCC members who had been where he was. Through their shared experience of battling addiction and finding recovery, they were able to support each other and work on sustained sobriety.
Today, Wes is a Peer Support Specialist and helps others struggling with addiction find recovery and he continues to be an active member at VOA RCC.
“I’m 100% convinced that I could not be where I’m at today if RCC was not there,” Wes said. “I think there should be one in every town if not two in every town. Because recovery needs to be available everywhere.”
Since opening RCC in Manchester in 2019, VOA has expanded the program and opened locations in Rockcastle, Pulaski and Lincoln Counties.
More than 16,800 individuals have visited VOA RCC to seek support and a safe, sober place to gather. Today, there are 260 RCC members across VOA’s different locations, all supporting each other and showing others struggling that recovery is possible.
The Manchester Enterprise, September 4, 2024
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