April eNews
A Letter from Ashley’s President
Greetings! Every year I am reminded that early spring is a wonderful time to be on the Ashley campus – a time of renewal. With trees and bushes blossoming wherever one looks, we are reminded that ours is a place with purpose, helping those addicted to alcohol and other drugs discover a pathway to hope and healing!
The November publication of the Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs and Health served as a call to action for Ashley. The report reaffirmed that drug and alcohol addiction continues to be a significant public health threat in our country, and that fewer than 1 in 10 individuals with a substance use disorder receives the treatment they need. At Ashley Addiction Treatment, we believe in individualized, integrated, and innovative treatment. So we will continue to explore ways to improve our programs and services, and we will work harder to break down the barriers to treatment to help deliver on our brand promise: “Everything for recovery because recovery is everything!”
I am profoundly grateful to you, our alumni, supporters and friends, for helping us continue the legacy stated by our co-founders, Fr. Martin and Mae Abraham. Please come out and see us, as I will be speaking at several upcoming regional events hosted by Ashley, including Strengthening Our Recovery workshops in Virginia Beach on April 9th and in Annapolis, MD on April 27th. Our New York Dinner and Presentation will be held April 20th and our annual Mae Abraham Legacy Luncheon is on May 17th. I will also join a panel discussion at the ARHE Convention at George Washington University in DC, July 11 – 13th.
I hope to see you on the road!
Fr. Mark
Click here to see all upcoming events.
The 10th Anniversary Mae Abraham Legacy Luncheon!
This event, now in its 10th year, is special for several reasons: First, it is a wonderful celebration of women living lives in joyful recovery! We’ll get an early start celebrating Ashley co-Founder, Mae Abraham’s 90th birthday coming in July! And even more exciting, the Luncheon will mark the launch of a campaign to raise funds for the new Women’s Center at Ashley!
Women face different challenges during their treatment experience, and the Women’s Center will help meet many of those needs. Housed within the female-only, residential Noble Hall, the Center will be an oasis of safety where women can convene, relax and explore an array of activities which support their recovery.
The Center will provide an atmosphere of awakening helping to foster relationships, as relationships are critical to the emotional development of women and play a significant role in their recovery.
The availability of a dedicated space for women will encourage them to continue treatment and help them feel cared for and connected with others. It will allow them to express compassion, creativity, warmth, support, authenticity, humility and sensitivity. The Women’s Center will truly be the HEART of women’s treatment at Ashley!
This year, we are thrilled to honor Rebecca J. Flood, CEO of New Directions for W
omen in Costa Mesa, CA; a world-renowned private drug and alcohol treatment center exclusively for women. Becky has been providing care and specialized treatment for nearly four decades, helping countless women find their own path to healing.
LUNCHEON INFORMATION, TICKETS, & SPONSORSHIPS
In Memorium – Maxine Verdier: September 19, 1926 – January 10, 2017
Maxine Verdier was born in Pittsburgh, but spent most of her life in the Baltimore area. She attended the University of Maryland before transferring to Cornell University where she graduated with a BS in Nursing in 1948. She worked as a nurse in many roles before applying to work with the Social Security Administration where she remained until she retired in 1988.
Maxine had many passions. She was a world traveler, having spent time in Europe, Hawaii and Fiji, Israel, and a variety of destinations throughout the US, among others. She was a member of several quilting groups and crocheted with a favorite group making lap robes, stump covers for veterans, and caps and mittens for newborns. She finished her last project, lap robes, less than a month before she passed away. She also sang alto and then tenor with the Cathedral Choir at Baltimore’s Cathedral of Mary Our Queen.
She loved her family and family history, was a longtime member of MENSA, and was known as a superb cook!
Ashley Addiction Treatment is proud to acknowledge a life well-lived, and to honor a real friend of our organization. A plaque acknowledging Maxine’s support of our organization will be a centerpiece in our new Women’s Center opening in 2018.
