On June 13, the Georgia Piedmont Technical School Convention Heart grew to become a spot the place tales of battle, resilience and restoration have been shared. Group leaders, restoration advocates and residents gathered to share sources, construct connections and talk about options to substance misuse in Newton County.
Native nonprofit, Coronary heart of Newton, held ‘A Symposium on Restoration: Making a Voice for Restoration in Newton County,’ free to the neighborhood.
“It’s principally a structured occasion the place folks come collectively to study and share and collaborate round substance misuse, restoration and wellness,” mentioned Haley Sherlock, founding father of Coronary heart of Newton.
Over 165 folks signed in to the occasion, however Sherlock is assured there have been round 200 attendees.
The symposium opened with a private assertion from Sherlock on her restoration journey and founding Coronary heart of Newton in early 2025.
Following her opening, every attendee went across the room for what they referred to as “cafe conversations,” the place they met in teams and mentioned 5 questions, resembling “What sources exist to assist households in restoration and what may very well be higher?” After discussing, every individual wrote down their very own private solutions, which Coronary heart of Newton will acquire as information.
“Between this and the listening session we held final August, Coronary heart of Newton will develop our strategic plan of how we’re going to function,” Sherlock mentioned.
Subsequent was a panel dialogue. The panel consisted of Michael Sherlock, Lindsey Glenn, Jessica Shaw, Jay Hobbs and Savannah Bryant.
Every panelist represented a unique pathway into restoration, whether or not that be as a member of the family who has a liked one now in restoration, or is an individual in restoration themselves. They every have been capable of reply questions on their very own journeys in restoration, the issues that helped, issues that might profit others in restoration and what sustains their restoration at this time.
“We heard quite a lot of actually cool solutions,” Sherlock mentioned. “Lindsey, she mentioned, that her religion and her church at Religion Tabernacle are what assist encourage her at this time, and Michael talked about his profession with the Native 72 and the way being a husband and a father helped encourage him in his restoration at this time.”
After a free catered lunch with some musical performances, visitor audio system from the neighborhood took turns taking the stage and sharing private restoration tales. Anglie Lapuski shared her journey of co-dependency as a member of the family to somebody in restoration. She informed the attendees about her expertise with Al-Anon, a program for households of family members who’ve a historical past of substance misuse.
Different attendees included Newton County Sheriff Ezell Brown and Porterdale Mayor Michael Patterson. The mayors of Forest Park and Clayton County have been additionally in attendance.
Likewise, the neighborhood wasted no effort to assist Coronary heart of Newton for this occasion. Many native companies and organizations provided reward playing cards for raffle prizes, donated to the muse or got here with a useful resource desk to talk with company and supply info or companies.
“We had over 31 useful resource tables spanning from restoration ministries, religion ministries, sober residing and Keen Helpers Medical Clinic was there doing free medical screenings,” Sherlock mentioned. “There was a consultant for Georgia Piedmont Technical School who was additionally there, and she or he was serving to individuals who have been all for furthering their schooling.”
Sherlock insisted that Coronary heart of Newton can not do that work alone. They’ll present peer assist, however connection and collaboration to particular sources folks want in restoration are what they’ll provide. They’re the bridge that hyperlinks folks to the assist and sources they want.
The method for this occasion stemmed from the Georgia Division of Behavioral Well being and Developmental Disabilities and the Georgia Council for Restoration. Collaborating with this occasion is part of their course of for aiding Coronary heart of Newton within the growth of their group, so they could be a useful resource for folks in restoration.
“We plan to have loads of occasions sooner or later; proper now, our largest objective is securing funding as a non-profit in order that we will start doing the much-needed work in our neighborhood, after which, I foresee, as soon as we get to that half, we’ll be having galas, restoration proms, restoration rallies, simply completely different recovery-friendly organized occasions for the neighborhood to return collectively at.”
For now, as Coronary heart of Newton continues to achieve for fulfillment in funding, they’re specializing in neighborhood efforts like this symposium, the place they celebrated restoration, provided sources and shared private tales.
Everybody in attendance acquired assist straight from the center because the neighborhood got here collectively in a single huge, lovely symposium to encourage and uplift these in restoration and people impacted by it. Sherlock herself was actually touched by this occasion.
“It was one out of the highest 5 finest days of my life personally,” Sherlock mentioned. “I used to be capable of see so many individuals starting from completely different ages, completely different backgrounds, completely different tales, completely different demographics, completely different races all come collectively for the sake of restoration in the neighborhood, and I used to be tremendous overwhelmed with pleasure.”
