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CeDAR Connects Alumni Newsletter
July 20th, 2023 | Volume 24
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When I first started working at CeDAR seven years ago, my then boss would say to me, "remember why you started". When the going gets tough, I find resolve in this mantra. In your recovery and ultimate life, you will inevitably hit a wall(s). You may lose focus and question your motivations. You may ask yourself, "do I have what it takes to move forward?" The answer is yes. We are far more capable than we give ourselves credit for.
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These are formidable moments in our lives when we can surprise ourselves by
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learning "what we're made of". It's not a matter of brute strength or toughness.
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Rather, it's a matter of starting where we're at and with what we have. We get to
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utilize our skills, engage our resources and lean on our communities. When we reflect on all of the progress we've made and what we're at risk of losing if we don't continue forward, we remember why we walked through those doors of CeDAR in the first place.
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Featured Meeting:
- The Sunset Alumni Meeting was created in response to COVID when we were not able to meet indoors. It has become such an alumni favorite that we've decided to hold it every summer, with this being the 3rd consecutive year.
- We meet Tuesdays 7pm-8pm at Great Lawn Park in Lowry on the east side of the park on the amphitheater steps which gives us a great view of the sun setting behind the front range.
- The last Tuesday of the month is fellowship night where we celebrate birthdays and go out to Torchy's Tacos for a bite after the meeting. I attend on this night, 'cause... tacos. I kid, I kid.
- Celebrate your yearly (1, 2, 3) sobriety birthday with us at the Sunset Meeting on the LAST Tuesday of the month and get a celebratory Crumbl Cookie! Notify me 24 hours ahead of the meeting so I can place/pickup the order.
- Bring a chair or blanket, shades, sunscreen and water! We give out sobriety chips (1-12mo, 18mo, 1+ years) and CeDAR swag!
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Meeting Lowdown:
We continue to add in-person meetings for CeDAR residents to attend. Just last week we welcomed back the BYOBB Big Book Study. Residents have also begun attending SMART on Tuesdays. I am working with the CA H&I committee to bring CA back to CeDAR's campus. I've also initiated talks with Recovery Dharma to do the same. My goal is to soon move CeDAR Night Live to a hybrid model on Saturdays. As we continue to make changes, we will need support. Here's how you can help:
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- Attend, lead and promote BYOBB. It's an open meeting that welcomes any 12-step group who follows the BB. Invite your sponsor, your sober living buddy or your loved one who does Al-anon.
- Recovery Dharma will be a start-up meeting though we once used to host it at CeDAR. There's no RD meeting east of Colorado Blvd so there's definitely a need. Let me know if you're interested!
- We could use help with hosting CeDAR Night Live. Join the CNL team and host 1 meeting per month. You'll read the script, introduce the speaker and start the Q&A. Great way to be of service!
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2 People and a Coffee pot:
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A simple hour spent over coffee can help to establish safety, trust and rapport. These are the building blocks of a healthy community. I am available to meet virtually or in-person, local to CeDAR. Coffee Talk is an opportunity to discuss anything you may need recovery support with. Oh yeah, it's on CeDAR!
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No Place Like Home:
I'd like to invite you to tonight's Home Base meeting (formerly referred to as After Hours) which we hold every 3rd Thursday at 8pm following the alumni meeting on Zoom. Home Base is the same concept as Home Group, just relative to CeDAR's Alumni Community and as a way to distinguish ourselves. Any CeDAR alumni can become a Home Base member. Home Base members share a vested interest in CeDAR's Alumni Community and programming through service-work and participation.
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Benefits to being a HB member:
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- Meet other alumni to grow your connections and support network
- Remain recovery active and accountable. Stay in the middle!
- Feel a sense of usefulness, purpose and belonging
- Help to sustain and grow CeDAR's Alumni Community through idea sharing and collaboration
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The Untethered Soul:
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Our alumni-led book club, Shelf Indulgence, has started a new book and we'd love to have you join! The Untethered Soul is a widely regarded book in many healing spaces for its teachings on how to "dwell in the present moment and let go of painful thoughts and memories that keep us from achieving happiness and self-realization". I have a handful of loaner books available, if anyone is interested, and even found a free PDF of the book online. Shelf Indulgence meets Sundays 6pm-7pm on Zoom. For this Sunday's group, we will read up to page 29. All are welcome to join! The book club is more intimate and connected as we encourage cross-talk and discussion.
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Sober not Somber:
In this feature we highlight upcoming activities within the recovery community. There's some really fun events coming up this summer!
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Your Online Hub:
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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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