Freedom House celebrates recovery

After being sober for three months, recovering alcoholic Robin Johnson is now seeing things from the other side of the spectrum.

Johnson is now a part-time employee at the Freedom House Recovery Center where he found his way to sobriety.

During his stay, Johnson said the staff made him understand that everything would be OK.

“I owe them my life,” he said. “They gave me hope, courage and told me I could make it.”

Johnson, along with the family and friends of others connected to the center, gathered Thursday night for the “Celebrate Recovery” event in honor of National Recovery Month.

Freedom House teamed up with Orange-Person-Chatham Area Program, an organization that oversees health service programs, to host the event to acknowledge those on the road to recovery.

“This is a time to recognize and support friends and family members who are looking to overcome substance abuse and live a sober and satisfying life,” OPC Community Planner Peter Kramer said.

The event celebrated the accomplishments of those at the Freedom House with food, live music and dancing — along with two testimonials to remind attendees why they were there.

Kramer, along with other OPC and Freedom House workers, is part of Red’s Rhythm, the band that played at the event.

“‘Celebrate Recovery’ is an opportunity for us to celebrate one of the hardest things we have to do in this life — that is admit I need help,” said Judy Truitt, area director of OPC Mental Health.

Freedom House kitchen manager Rodney Jones, a former client of the organization, is going on 17 years of sobriety this October.

“What recovery means to me! I can define it in one big word — LIFE,” he wrote on the group’s testimonial wall.

Hillsborough Mayor Tom Stevens said it’s great to see the people who have started their journey to recovery.

“They make a miracle of their life from really challenging circumstances and situations,” he said.

Freedom House works to improve the lives of people with addiction, mental illness and developmental disability. In the last fiscal year, the organization helped about 8,300 people, said Trish Hussey, executive director of the center.

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