Recover Alaska, neighboring communities and local businesses band together in support of recovery.
PRESS RELEASE
Recover Alaska Concert & Celebration
9/23/2017 – 7PM
Recover Alaska
Church of Love
3502 Spenard Rd. Anchorage
FREE Event
Recover Alaska is bringing communities and businesses across the state together to support Alaskans struggling with alcohol and substance use for September in honor of National Recovery Month. From featured alcohol-free cocktails at local restaurants to dry weekend activities and a final celebration concert, September will honor Alaskans in recovery as well as all who support them.
“Recovery Month is all about celebrating the journey of recovery, which is often a difficult and overwhelming experience,” said Tiffany Hall, executive director of Recover Alaska. “We’re showing people they’re not alone, and that a vibrant social life without alcohol is completely attainable. We’ve seen tremendous support from the Alaska business community wanting to get involved and we can’t wait to provide some of these opportunities for support and celebration in September.”
Restaurants including South, Spenard Roadhouse, Ginger and Blue’s Central in Anchorage, Lavelle’s in Fairbanks and Mykel’s in Soldotna will feature a creative, non-alcoholic cocktail on their menu during Recovery Month.
“The alcohol-free cocktails we’re offering this month are meant to be just as fun and exciting as any of our drinks featured on the regular bar menu,” said Laile Fairbairn, general manager of South Restaurant + Coffeehouse. “Our bartenders had a great time coming up with these original recipes, and we’re thrilled to support Recovery Month and offer some beverage choices for our guests who choose not to drink alcohol.”
Alaskans (in recovery or not) are also invited to participate in Recover Alaska’s Dry Weekend Challenges throughout the month. The challenges are an opportunity for those interested to pledge to spend a weekend free of alcohol. Recover Alaska will provide a checklist of “dry activity” ideas and Alaskans can choose to pledge to do as many as they like. Recover Alaska will send small prizes to participants who accept the challenge and share how they spent their sober weekend via social media.
A free concert and celebration is planned for Saturday, September 23rd from 7pm - 11pm at the Church of Love on Spenard Road in Anchorage. Blaze Bell and Samuel Johns, local performers who are in recovery, will play throughout the night. The Sawbuck, Alaska's only traveling speak-easy and pop-up cocktail bar, will be making the featured zero-alcohol drinks from our restaurant partners.
Alaskans can also show their support for Recovery Month by sporting specialty flair pins and hanging orange ribbons in an effort to come together and “paint” the town orange. Each ribbon symbolizes a journey to recovery, and those who choose to hang a ribbon in the community can place them anywhere that is meaningful to their own or a loved one’s recovery. Participants are encouraged to share where they’ve placed their ribbon, as well as their recovery stories, with Recover Alaska via social media. The ribbons will be available at participating restaurants, Recovery Month events and will be distributed by volunteers.
For more information about Recovery Month events and opportunities to participate, visit Recover Alaska’s website at www.recoveralaska.org.
About Recover Alaska:
Recover Alaska is a multi-sector action group pursuing a solutions-based approach to reduce excessive alcohol use and harms across the state. Partners include Rasmuson Foundation, The Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority, Mat-Su Health Foundation, Providence Alaska, Southcentral Foundation and the State of Alaska’s Department of Health and Social Services. The vision for Recover Alaska is for Alaskans to live free from the consequences of alcohol abuse, so we are empowered to achieve our full potential. For more information, visit www.recoveralaska.org.
