Alumni Connection
Over 125 Alumni and friends made the trek to Ashley’s Campus for an enriching day of Back to Basics. Wally P. and Carver B. took attendees through each step, one by one, much as they did back in the 40’s. The workshop, dubbed “Steps and Stories” by Wally, combined Wally’s extensive knowledge of AA and the steps with Carver’s natural gift of storytelling. The alumni and friends who attended left with a working knowledge of the steps, a host of new friends, and a smile on their faces. Please join us in November for the return of Wally P, “Back to the Basics of Sponsorship”.
Young Adult Extended Care House Expansion Project
Ashley’s Young Adult Extended Care Program (YAEC) was started in July of 2016 on the main Ashley campus in Havre de Grace, MD and has enjoyed an immense amount of success. Since its inception, 66 patients have completed the program and the vast majority of them have reported enjoying recovery and a high quality of life. Two of our first patients have recently come full circle, joining the Ashley team as a Clinical Aid and a YAEC Tech respectively. The program has continued to evolve through the revision of the Life-Skills Workshops, increased family services, and most prominently through the acquisition of the YAEC Residence. The YAEC residence is on a 12 acre property in Churchville, MD, a short 20 minute drive from the campus. In addition to the 8 patients calling it home, we have added goats and chickens to the Ashley family, teaching the young men coming through about responsibility and caring for something besides themselves.
What is Phase 2?
The YAEC residence gives Ashley the ability to care for more patients, but we need your help. Phase 2 involves the home improvements that will allow us to increase our census from 8 to 12 patients, a 50% increase in patients served. Improvements needed include finishing the basement so the gym, patient computer/phone room, and YAEC Tech Office can be moved. The basement will also house a meditation room and bathroom. The garage, currently utilized as a gym, will be transitioned into a meeting room for alumni and the local AA community to hold 12-step meetings. The second floor will be modified to include a third bathroom, an adjusted hallway, and an additional bedroom. These improvements will support the continued efforts of the Ashley team to provide the best possible care for our patients. Everything for recovery because recovery is everything.
To help us with these improvements, please visit our donation page here. In the designation box, choose the drop down labeled YAEC Phase 2 to help us support our mission of growing the Young Adult Extended Care Program. Thank you for all of your support!
35th Anniversary – Annual Alumni Homecoming
January 17, 2018 marked 35 years of open doors for Ashley Addiction Treatment. Co-founders Mae Abraham and Father Martin started with a dream to help those in need find life beyond addiction and created a place with purpose. Now, having helped more than 40,000 patients, our campus continues to expand providing exceptional care and treating every person with dignity and respect.
This September 16th, 2018, we hope that you will join us on Ashley’s campus for a fun day to celebrate recovery! This is a free event for Ashley Alumni, family, friends, and the recovery community!
Matt’s Race for Recovery will kick off the day with a 5k race around the grounds of Ashley. Following the race, we would invite all alumni, family, friends and anyone in the recovery community for food, activities and fun to celebrate Ashley’s 35 years.
Check back on our Facebook page and website for more information regarding the day’s festivities and registration! We hope to see you there!
Month 6 – Step 6
June represents the next in a year-long series of articles focusing on the 12-steps. We’re taking one step per month and sharing some insights and experiences to help others with their program, as well as those working with sponsees.
Last month, we discussed Step 5 – admitting to God, ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs. Now having enlisted some help, we are ready for Step 6:
“We’re entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.”
Step 5 taught us about humility – we did the hard work, met our fears head on and chose someone to share who the “real me” is. In Step 6, we are finally ready to fully rid ourselves of the flaws we listed in Step 4 and reveal our true willingness to recover.
Our defects have been ingrained over a lifetime, so it takes work to prepare to have them removed and often times we have come to love these defects. Father Martin said, “God doesn’t make you sober, he gives you the strength to be sober by exercising the steps.” God removes the shortcomings of anyone by giving us the strength and then the opportunities to exercise that strength. Usually we don’t see the opportunities he gives, but if we recognize the hand of God in the things that happen every day, and exercise our strength, he will give us the very thing we’ve asked him for.
There is no “correct” or “proper” way to work the steps. Different sponsors may take different approaches. The key is to find a way that works best for you and leads to long-term, healthy sobriety!
Next month: Step 7 – We humbly ask God to remove our shortcomings…!