First Christian Church, Lexington Ave., Pastor Joe, volunteers, congregation and community attendees, you deserve a “round of applause.”

Your recent six-week series bringing awareness of substance-use disorder to our community was totally awesome! Great food by volunteers, great participation by community leaders of substance-use disorder and facilitation by Rev. Joe and others helps remove the “stigma” of the disease suffered by 23 million recovering addicts and another 26 million needing a source of recovery.

So long as I live in the grace of the 12-step programs I am recovering over 16 years and giving back this opportunity to work with others, and sharing has given me hope for this disease. I have added First Christian to the 40 other churches in the area that are practicing support and allowing public awareness to remove the stigma of this disease!!

“Rat” Durham         

Parksville