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CeDAR Connects Alumni Newsletter
May 19th, 2022 | Volume 12
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Strawberries, melons & green beans, oh my! The CeDAR garden is underway and we need your help in naming it. Toss your suggestions into the hat for a chance to win some CeDAR swag, if your suggestion is ultimately voted on as the winner. This is the first full season for the garden since we gained access to it last summer. It will be a labor of love as we have some grand goals for it to serve as an oasis for residents, alumni, staff and family members. I'd like to thank our core group of alumni who have worked tirelessly to prep and plant the beds. The garden will serve as an on-going service opportunity for both alumni and residents.
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We would love for garden enthusiasts, landscapers and any one who wants to get their hands dirty to get involved. If you'd like to support the cause without getting dirty, we are accepting donations including gardening décor, tools and supplies. As we get organized, we are working on identifying upcoming dates for group gardening days. Please reach out if you would like to be included in communications. Happy digging!
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Let's schedule some 1:1 time! I am available to meet virtually or in-person local to CeDAR. This is a great opportunity to talk about anything you may need recovery support with. I love working with you to both empower and assist you in recovery efforts, helping you to access the life in recovery you envision for your yourself.
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Farewell to a Living Legend, Bari Platter:
One of the true rocks and heroes of CeDAR will be retiring after 30 years of service. Bari Platter has been such a force at CeDAR, designing the Dialectical Behavior Therapy program, counseling patients, leading groups and being a warm and compassionate source of support for so many. The impact she has had will surely leave an embedded mark on CeDAR - she will be missed greatly.
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Read Jean Unger’s interview with Bari and join us on Saturday, May 21st from 7-8:30pm (during CNL) for a virtual farewell. Bari will be sharing her story for the first portion, from the ACA perspective, at which point we will open it up for alumni to offer their well wishes.
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The Family Program Reimagined:
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The reimagined Family Program at CeDAR is designed for family members affected by their loved one's disease of chemical dependency. It provides education, professional and peer support while also promoting recovery for the entire family system. Psychoeducational groups feature topics including boundaries, communication, coping skills and co-dependency, among others. The family program also hosts two therapist-led support groups. To learn more about services or if you'd like to participate, call 720.848.3030 or email and/or fill out this form.
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Also to note, a dedicated group of CeDAR family members have been working hard to start a peer-led meeting for family and loved ones of CeDAR residents and alumni. The meeting is loosely modeled after the alumni meeting. The group, called Bridges, will convene Wednesdays at 5:30pm on Zoom with a TBD launch date.
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CeDAR Central:
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The best resource for alumni and the entire CeDAR community is CeDAR Central. Here, you can find current meetings, activities, service opportunities, recovery resources & more. Please let us know your feedback!
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An Evening with the Addiction Nutritionist:
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Recovery is best sustained through a multi-faceted approach. One aspect that doesn't always get widely addressed is nutrition. Cue Kelly Miller, The Addiction Nutritionist. Nutrition, and its impact on both addiction and recovery, is something Kelly knows well, so much so she has founded a program to help support recovering people through something she has coined the pro-recovery diet. Join us on Wednesday, May 25th from 6:30-7:30pm for a free webinar. During this webinar, Kelly will present on the biochemical root causes of addiction and nutritional strategies to help you improve mood, reduce cravings and prevent relapse. Sign-up for your free ticket through Eventbrite here.
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Giving Back:
Giving back through donating new or gently used items is an amazing way to immediately impact residents at CeDAR. The small things go a long way. Putting on a cozy sweatshirt, playing a game of catch or finding just the book you we're looking for helps to settle residents into what can be a new and overwhelming environment. The pantry and library also create service opportunities for alumni to return to campus to help sort, organize and stock. Reach out if you're interested!
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- Clothing & toiletry items: We've got a whole page dedicated to pantry needs, check it out here!
- Recreation items: basketballs, footballs, soccer balls, baseball mitts, yard games, board games.
- Recovery Library: we are in need of books to restock libraries in both cottages. Approved books are related to addiction/recovery, wellness, mental/emotional health, spirituality.
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Any donations can be dropped off to CeDAR during normal business hours 7 days a week. Or you may send them to CeDAR: 1693 North Quentin Street Aurora, CO 80045 Attn: Meghan White
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Announcements:
- The Phoenix recently added a new Yoga + Meditation offering at the Downtown Denver location. We are organizing an alumni group to check it out on May 31st at 7pm. Reserve your spot here.
- For the first time (and about time!), Denver PrideFest (June 25th and 26th) will feature a sober area complete with lawn games and a NA beverage bar. If anyone wants to plan on going, let us know so we can get a little crew together. We would also love to revive the Unity LGBTQIA group that was started last summer but had to pause due to low participation.
- Starting June 1st we will be offering a virtual writing group called WriteRecover, facilitated by our very own, Jean U. Join us Wednesdays at 6:30pm on Zoom: https://zoom.us/j/7204423494
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