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CeDAR Connects Alumni Newsletter
December 16th, 2021 | Volume 7
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Collaboration is one of three core values for the CeDAR Alumni Program. It's my favorite core value because of both the creative process and getting to work with alumni on development and implementation. When I stepped into this role 4 years ago, it was an immediate aim of mine to involve alumni in the structuring of the alumni program. After all, it is your program as you are each alumni. We have sought to do that through providing a platform for the free exchange of experiences and ideas. Doing so infuses a spirit of collaboration into our community.
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Collaboration contributes to a sense of investment. Investment lends to engagement. And, engagement breaks the dam of excitement because it means you've stuck around long enough to see your ideas materialize. The thing about excitement is it radiates. This causes others to want to tap in so they, too, can experience that feeling of excitement - something addiction has robbed us of. And that's it, folks. That's our secret sauce for the vibrant alumni community we know and love today - collaboration. BTW, the other two core values are connection and community.
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All that being said, we not only value your ideas, we need them! What would you like to see materialize in 2022? Some ideas: a book club, a dads in recovery group, creative programming and an activities planning committee. If you'd like to support any of those ideas or have ideas of your own, please take some time to let us know by clicking the button below and submitting your thoughts. I can't wait to read through your ideas and see what we accomplish in 2022! Happy Holidays & Happy New Year!
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A Mother's Way Through Recovery
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There are aspects of recovering as a mother that only other moms can understand. In light of that, three of our alumni mothers have formed a Moms in Recovery Group where moms can be completely honest with one another – the good, the bad, the ugly. Read in an interview with co-founder Meghan Rubinstein all about how the group was created and how to participate. If you are a mom in recovery, check out this group!
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2021 Patient Gift Drive:
There's still time to donate a gift! We will accept gifts until December 22nd, 2021. Please donate unwrapped gifts from the approved list below. Please keep gifts non-gender specific as it ensures we will have enough gifts to go around for everyone. Gifts can be dropped off at the front desk during business hours or sent directly to CeDAR from Amazon, Target, Walmart etc. We appreciate your efforts and our residents do too!
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Approved gifts: Scarves, beanies, gloves, journals, coloring/sketch books, markers and pencils, recovery-based books, board games, puzzles, cozy blankets, slippers, stationary.
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Upcoming Activities:
It is important to engage in extra layers of support during the holidays. Here is list of holiday events happening over Christmas and New Year's Eve. See you NYE at The Phoenix! Who's going?!
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2021: A Year in Review
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The month of December is a natural time for us to reflect on the past year: how have we grown, what have we learned, what progress do we want to celebrate? In this month's feature, we'll hear from a few alumni as they share their recovery/mental health wins from 2021.
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Speaking of Wins...
We have SO much to celebrate within the alumni community. 2021 saw the launch of a handful projects that have been patiently waiting for their time. Namely, this newsletter-CeDAR Connects- and the new alumni site, CeDAR Central. 2021 also saw the rise of organized groups offering their own niche of support: Unity LGBTQ+, retirees/50+, moms in recovery and the alumni support group. What. A. Year. Thanks to each and every one of you! Check out our 2021 progress by clicking the link below. We were busy!
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12-step 101:
I'd like to share an exciting win with you. We were recently granted approval by UCH Infection Prevention to allow 2-3 alumni to lead an in-person 12-step meeting for residential patients. This is a huge win as their [patients] experience of meetings for the past 18+ months has been solely virtual. The meeting will be held on Saturdays either 3pm-4pm with a tentative start date of January 1st. I am looking for a core group of alumni to lead and support this meeting. Alumni must be vaccinated. If you'd like to help, please reach out to me for details!
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Click the link below for an updated calendar of in-house virtual meetings.
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CeDAR Central
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Have you checked out CeDAR Central, yet? It's a question I will continue to ask until everyone is in the know about this amazing alumni resource. Take a tour and let us know of any questions or feedback. We will be building out different features, so stay tuned!
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Holiday Programming:
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A brief mention: programming that falls on days typically reserved for holidays will continue to be offered during regularly scheduled times. This includes Recovery Dharma, Alumni Support, women's & men's AA and CeDAR Night Live. Recovery takes no holiday!
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