On May 25 and June 1, Welcome Home students were privileged to receive a creative writing workshop from the Georgia Straight editor, Charlie Smith. Notepads and pens were provided for the students to jot down notes as Charlie provided several tools, suggestions, and direction for quality creative writing. Beginning with a short introduction of his own life and path into the literary field, Charlie then used real-life examples from published novels to highlight specific points he was teaching. He also provided a well-known list of “dos and don’ts” while writing, as compiled by “1984″ novelist, George Orwell:

1) Steer clear of any over-used cliches, mottos, or phrases. Describe what you intend in a new, refreshing way, rather than falling back on stereo-typical catch-phrases that fail to captivate or excite the reader.

2) If you find yourself using long, complicated words, simpify and replace with shorter, more simple words. There is no need to intellectualize within your writing. You are not trying to prove how intelligent you are, but rather writing to convey your ideas, creativity, and emotions. Do so in a way that others can be drawn in, rather than pushed out.

3) Use as few words as possible. Challenge yourself to keep sentences under 25 words and edit out unnecessary fluff from your writing. Be clear and straight to the point.

4) Don’t use the passive voice. Utilize the active voice as much as possible. “The puck was shot into the net by Wayne Gretzky” is passive and not nearly as effective as “Wayne Gretzky shot the puck into the net.” You want the subject of the sentence to be as close to the verb as possible.

5) Don’t use jargon, scientific terminology, or phrases from other langugages if English works! Don’t give your readers a reason to be confused or disconnected from your writing.

Throughout his charasmatic presentations, Charlie stressed the importance of finding one’s voice and learning to creatively express one’s self through one’s own words, one’s own viewpoint, one’s own framework. While there are all sorts of suggested ideals, he reminded the students that there is no “right” or “wrong” while writing, just suggestions as to how to better communicate and convey one’s ideas/thoughts/feelings in a more effective manner.

 Midway through his presentation, Charlie assigned the students to put the rubber to the road. In a 20-minute time-frame, they were instructed to write him a letter, describing a time in their life when they had achieved something or when they felt successful. Upon completion of the writing fury, Charlie collected the selections and asked permission to read them aloud, offering his thoughts, critiques, and feedback. It was incredible to hear the stories that arose from this assignment! Reflected moments included stories of: One student nervously recollecting replacing the flooring in the Prime Minister’s home in Ottawa, another student sharing her experiences performing on an European singing tour, another student remembered scoring two touchdowns in the BC Football provincials, and another student recalled being assigned to rebuild the motor on his teacher’s truck in an automotive course in high school. Phenomenal stories translated into tidbits of trivia and conversation-starters for weeks.

 Both presentations were littered with curiosities and questions pertaining to writing, how to use literary tools, an editor’s job description, and the field of journalism/media relations. With humour, patience, and understanding, Charlie answered all of the ponderings and encouraged the students to voice everything they were unsure about. We are so thankful for Charlie’s willingness to share his knowledge with us and are so appreciative of his time!

If you have a certain skill, trade, or talent that you would like to share/teach to the Welcome Home students, please let me know so we can figure out a way for you to contribute! (rikkif@whrecovery.org)

Charlie Smith teaching the students.

Soaking in new knowledge!

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On August 12th, Welcome Home is hosting its 2nd Annual Run for Recovery. The 5 & 10 km runs are just the beginning to the event’s exciting itinerary, which includes live musicians, dance groups, door prizes, interactive community business booths, face painting, a bouncy castle, BBQ, and more. The Run and following Community Festival is an important part of sharing Welcome Home with the surrounding community. All of the proceeds from the run go directly towards Welcome Home Addiction Recovery, and many of the services, prizes, and contributions have been voluntarily donated from those involved. 

 Our Marketing Director, Courtney, developed a way for our customers to contribute and show their support for the run: a $1 donation on a “Foot”. Within mere minutes of launching the donation drive, our wall started filling up. Customers were eager to contribute, and within an hour, Courtney soon received a pleading phone call for “more feet!” 

 Monday morning, when I arrived to work, my mouth was gaping as the entire Customer Service wall was covered with “feet”, and I heard reports of over 300 donations being received. The more we printed, the more we seemed to be selling!

 On Wednesday, midway through our week, and the demand for “more feet” continued. Watching the students’ faces as they watch the overwhelming support from the customers is incredible. They feel the support and are visually seeing the belief that surrounding community members have in their recovery. As a token of support and encouragement to the students, I rang through my own 30 “feet” and let the students know that a dollar was donated to the cause on their behalf. Over lunch, each student was able to write their name with pride onto a “foot” to be displayed in the store, which ironically exists solely for the students. Come to think of it, all of this is for the students!

 Thursday morning, I checked in with our accountant who calculated the current number of purchased “feet”. As of 11am, the total rang through at 655. It is absolutely incredible to be part of this! We want to extend our gratitude to our amazing PricePro customers who not only continually support the store, but who have specifically donated to this incredible, upcoming event. THANK YOU!

Overwhelming Support for the 2nd Annual Run for Recovery

 For more details on the Run for Recovery, or to register for the event: www.runforrecovery.net

 Additional Note:

The Welcome Home students have already been playing an active role in the preparations for the event. I worked closely with the female participants to develop two interactive children’s games for the Lift the Children booth (www.liftthechildren.org). The first is a Memory game where the sisters used donated scrapbooking supplies and various pictures taken from the African orphanages to make matching sets of cards. Upon flipping the cards to find a match, kids will be able to win a lollipop! The second is a puzzle board map of the continent of Africa. Each country was traced, labelled, and cut out, with velcro attached. Participants who successfully fit all of the puzzle pieces together will be awarded with a prize. Other activities that have either been completed or are currently being worked on are: a hockey shoot out, individual km marking posts with inspirational quotes on them, wooden character head cut-outs for photos, fundraising thermometer poster, etc. 

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Ever since the beginning of my tenure as the women’s program director, I kept hearing the term “Potlatch” being mentioned in conversations, which was often accompanied with intense, Christmas Eve-like anticipation. This weekend, I had the incredible honour of joining the Welcome Home students (participants in the program) for their annual trip to Camp Potlatch, a summer camp owned by the Boys and Girls Clubs of South Coast BC.

One group of students left at 6am on Saturday morning, while the second group departed from the PricePro store at 2:30pm. Supplies and eager campers were loaded onto a small boat which puttered across the ocean for a 45 minute ride. The Camp itself is snuggled into a cove off of Howe Sound surrounded by lush forest, overlooking the Pacific Ocean. When on the dock, one can look to the left and see the See-to-Sky highway winding up the mountainside. So close to the hustle and bustle of the city, but so secluded, serene, and peaceful.

 Upon arrival, students were divided up into their assigned cabins/groups, met the Potlatch staff, and given instructions for the weekend. During our stay, our primary purpose was to volunteer our man (and woman) power to assist the camp staff in readying the camp and facilities for the summer months. We tackled a long ‘to-do’ list which included: fixing the brakes on the camp’s van, repairing the camp’s lawn mowers/grass trimmers, chopping firewood for the entire camp season, building new fire boxes, cleaning the rooftops/gutters of all the buildings, recocking all of the windows on the lodge, repainting the lodge, new flooring and paint for a head counsellor’s cabin, building direction signs, etc.

Work crews were assigned, with more senior participants in the program acting as leaders alongside the Potlach staff. Individuals from both groups contributed to see these projects through, a huge blessing to the Potlach staff. The Head Councellor, Marc, commented to me at one point, “We have several groups that volunteer their time with us, but a lot of the times we have to re-do the job after they leave. Your guys are really thorough and get the jobs done right…. They have a really strong work ethic.” The values instilled in the program were in full force throughout the weekend, as students continued to hold one another accountable, encourage each other, give each other instruction, and recited the Welcome Home Creed (http://www.welcomehomesociety.org/student-creed/) before breakfast and dinner.

Between our tasks, we had plenty of reason to explore, celebrate, and appreciate the beauty of the location. Students participated in the Camp’s ropes/obstacle courses, learned archery, played volleyball, kayaked, and even braved the chilly water to go snorkeling and swimming. Students were soaking in the sunshine alongside many critters which we saw, including: a commonly seen otter just off the shore, jellyfish, a pair of deer meandering through the camp, birds, bats, and even a snake!

We enjoyed phenomenal meals and camp fire smores/weiner roasting during the evenings to wrap up our days, accompanied with singing, ghost stories, and engaging conversations under the star-lit sky. To top off the incredible weekend, we celebrated two birthdays on Saturday, as well as a 2-year sobriety marker for one of our Master students, as well as a 1-year celebration of one of our brothers (male participants in the program). These achievements were followed up with loud applauses and short reflections of support and congratulations. One of the comments I’ll never forget is from one of our sisters (female participants in the program) who claimed something along the lines of, “This is a birthday I’ll never forget. Not just because I’m sober, but because I’m loved and not alone in this.” 

It truly was an incredibly beautiful way to celebrate recovery and the changing of one’s life.

(Rikki Fryatt)

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Thoughts from the Students:

“Camp Potlatch was an amazing experience. Huddled in the beautiful panoramic scenery, Potlatch has a wondrous beauty. Tall, mossy trees tower you with shade, the outstanding vew of the coastland is awesome and a river that has running, dashing waterfalls. The place has a general splendor. Along with the amazing outdoors comes a great staff who were eager to help us out learning kayaking and archery. I truly enjoyed Potlatch and can’t wait to go back!” – Kyle B. 

“Going to Camp Potlatch for me was again an honour and a wonderful privilege. To volunteer fees good and to do it in the beautiful settng of the BC coastal wilderness was a very fulfilling and healthy experience for both my mind and body. The camp staff counsellors were great to spend time with and learn from. The trip rekindled my interest in my home province, and its endless supply of natural beauty and interest. I will remember and return to Camp Potlatch in future years, hopefully to show and share with others. Learning, service, and wholesome recreation: A perfect weekend in May!” – Darren P. 

“I never expected I’d experience something like Camp Potlatch while in a recovery program. Trekking out to a secluded Pacific beach on a boat amidst Ocean islands, wit a bunch of sleeping bags, buckets of marinating meats, and boxes full of smore supplies, and arrivng at a Camp loaded with kayaks, canoes, archery, obstacle courses, woodworkng, you name it- was amazng in itself. But being tere to contribute to a good cause by helping fix up the camp was also amazing. If not for Welcome Home, I might never have learned how fun and rewarding volunteering can be – or would I have discovered how to have a real camping trip, sober and lively – appreciating nature and te closeness of family. As things were laid back and all of us students came toether to roast marshmellows and sing to acoustic tunes, it really dawned on me that I’ve been given such a gift by Welcome Home – to know the peace of life, the love of family, and the bond between everlasting friends. Thank you, Welcome Home & Camp Potlatch!” – Nikki M.

“Potlatch is so special to me because it was the first major building block in the foundation of my new memories. Getting the privilege of being able to give back in this way is amazing and I am very grateful that I have been able to have this opportunity again.” – Peter

“The weekend at Camp Potlatch meant so much to me. Not only was it something I liked to do, but helped others as well. First and foremost, it showed me that I can do something I love and have fun while being sober. Second, it showed me that giving service to others can also be fun as well. Seeing what [service work] does for people gave me a new insight into serving others. Third, it showed me that spending time with my brothers and sisters while working gives people a sense of true, genuine happiness; something I never really had. Potlatch gave me this sense of true, genuine happiness while giving me a sense of accomplishment.” – Austin A.

“My time at Potlatch was great! I got to have great talks with my brothers and sisters and got to give back to the community. The fresh air and beautiful ocean is another great part of being there as well. Thank you for that experience!” – Jim

“I had the opportunity to go to Camp Potlatch with my fellow students and perform some charity work, and have some amazing fellowship with my brothers and sisters in the program. It showed me that being generous and volunteering for something good DOES make you feel special and warms your soul. Another major thing this experience did for me was remind me that there is so much in life to enjoy without having to be numb. Among those special things were: archery, obstacle courses, kayaking, swimming, and singing songs around a camp fire. I feel alive again after this experience. Thank you, Welcome Home!” – Paul S.

“Camp Potlatch was a beautiful, amazingly serene experience for me and really reiterated how much I miss and enjoy the outdoors. The staff were amazing people who made the stay that much more enjoyable. The icing on the cake was the awesome fellowship I enjoyed during our activities. I would without a doubt return to Camp Potlach for another stay!”  - Mike S. 

“Going to Camp Potlatch was an amazing experience. Working together as a team with my brothers and sisters, we were able to accomplish  more than I could imagine. I was proud of myself and those around me for all we had done. The activities we did after were just as rewarding. I did archery, an obstacle course, played volleyball, and went kayaking. I forgot how much I enjoy healthy living and the outdoors. I want to volunteer in the future and encourage kids to live a healthy lifestyle!” – Martin C. 

“The trip to Potlatch means that I have achieved another milestone here at Welcome Home. Upon my first visit to Potlatch, I set the goal of wanting to come back. Visiting Potlatch a second time means that I have patience enough to look forward to things a year in advance and work towards those goals. For my future, this means that I will have the patience to travel Canada, as I have always wanted, and that I can be quite content with the simple things in life along with good friends.” – Steve

“Potlatch meant a time for fellowship and growth. A time to help out the camp by working as a team and conquering duties tat were needed to be completed so that the campers can enjoy the facilities during their stay. The outdoor work was enjoyable in the sunshine and the hours spent fellowshipping were priceless moments that we will always remember on our journey of life. I enjoyed the weekend greatly and look forward to next year!” – Ryan C. 

Welcome Home Students & Camp Potlatch Staff enjoying volleyball before dinner.

Welcome Home Sisters & Their Program Director

Changing My Life Never Felt So Good!

Ready for a Kayaking adventure!

Smiles All Around!

Camp Potlatch Campfire!

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On May 9th, Welcome Home was honoured to have 2010 Olympics Floral Designer, June Strandberg, join us for dinner and workshop. Now retired and in her 70s, June has always had a passion for flowers and reaching out to women striving for change. She has volunteered her time in correctional facilities, teaching women the art of flower arranging while building self-esteem and confidence. Upon hearing of the Welcome Home program and the developing womens’ program, June agreed to offer her expertise to our three sisters (female students in the program). 

 With the supplies purchased earlier that morning from a local flower auction, the sisters soaked up June’s knowledge as she shared countless tips and instruction on arranging handheld bouquets as well as small mug-bouquets. Each of the students was able to follow June’s example and build her own arrangements (one handheld, one mug) to be sold in the PricePro store for Mother’s Day.

 Throughout the 2 hours of instruction, each of the sisters was emotionally engaged, intrigued, and creatively challenged to try arranging for the first time. Their countenance changed as they began to see the beauty in the bouquets, a direct result of their labour. It was an incredible time, filled with laughs, June’s inspirational stories, new knowledge, and a deeper appreciation for the opportunity to take part in the activity. Life in recovery is filled with blessings!

One of our students receiving instruction from June.

Program Director, Rikki Fryatt, joins one of the Welcome Home students for a picture!

Welcome Home Students excited to learn how to make handheld bouquets!

June Strandberg with 3 of the Welcome Home Students displaying their artistic creations which were featured and sold in PricePro for Mother's Day!

Thoughts from a Student:

“On May 9th, the sisters and I were given a beautiful gift. June came and shared her passion for flowers and helping women for the evening. It was an amazing experience I will always carry with me. She shared with us her knowledge of flowers and worked alongside while we made beautiful bouquets for Mother’s Day. I felt so at peace, relaxed, and proud of our creations. June gave us a beautiful gift of flowers. I feel so grateful andb lessed for this opportunity and after this experience, I will always stop and smell the roses. Thank you, June, and Welcome Home!!” – Kelly D.

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Rikki has just joined us here at Welcome Home Addiction Recovery Academy as the new female program director. A little bit about Rikki in her own words:

Welcome! I have recently begun my tenure as the Female Program Director at Welcome Home Addiction Recovery Academy and am already fascinated and excited with what we’re doing here. Prior to accepting this position, I have worked as a Clinical Counsellor in the addictions field for the past three years within a plethora of settings and environments. Eager to be a resource for change, my primary purpose is to support individuals seeking change through accountability, modeling, and facilitating insight towards one’s behaviours, tendencies, and feelings.

When not at work, I am extremely passionate about hockey, both as a fan of the Vancouver Canucks, as well as playing ice/roller hockey on weekends. Additionally, my interests include cooking, concert going, roller-blading, cars, following my favourite tv shows, reading biographies, thrift store shopping, and engaging with close friends. I also volunteer on my church’s leadership team and at the Thunderbird Motel Project in Hope, as well as investing time with my young nephew.

Welcome, Rikki! We are very happy to have you on the team!

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Photo Essay: Faces of Addiction by Chris Arnade ( Flickr , Twitter )

Chris Arnade, a photographer from New York City, has been photographing New York City residents that suffer from addiction. His goal with the photo essay is to show that everyone matters, regardless of the things that sometimes make us look the other way. You can read more and see the full photo essay here: Striking ‘Faces of Addiction’ Found in the Streets of the Bronx

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Celebrating the sobriety of 3 of our program participants!

Congratulations to Nick Runowski for passing our Leadership Program!

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This past Saturday was Welcome Home Addiction Recovery Academy’s first Bra Drive. The goal of this event was to collect new and barely used bras to help clothe the women in our program. It was a great success and a lot of fun! We collected over 30 bras in great condition and got to know some of our amazing neighbours. We snapped some great photos and video, so check it out:

Click here to view the embedded video.

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The founder of Welcome Home Addiction Recovery Academy, Lift The Children and The John Volken Foundation was featured in this month’s issue of Canadian Immigrant Magazine. Here is a snippet of what was covered:

Over the next two decades, Volken worked a series of jobs — at a cauliflower farm in Toronto, in a frozen food business and at a flower shop for $1 an hour. He bought 22 old houses and fixed them up. He wrote a book called 1,001 Ways to Make Money. He lived in Ontario, Quebec and Nevada before eventually settling in Vancouver. In the 1980s, he began a network to sell used items, before realizing it was more lucrative to sell new furniture. He changed the name to United Furniture Warehouse. It became one of the largest retail furniture chains in North America, operating in 148 locations with annual sales in excess of $200 million a year.

Click here to read more!

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The Nail Bar, a high quality salon in Surrey, BC has generously offered to allow Welcome Home Addiction Recovery Academy to accept monetary donations and donations of new or used-but-in-good-condition bras at their grand opening event. 

The event will be held Saturday the 18th of February and will go from 12-4pm. To celebrate their Grand Opening, the Nail Bar is offering some of it’s services for free:

- Free nail polish change
- Free upper lip waxing/threading
- Free Face tanning
- Free tea, coffee and biscuits

You can also expect:

- $10 O.P.I. Nail Lacquers
– $5 Buffers and Files
– Fifth Ave. jewellery sold by Cheryle Donaldson
– Free parking

So, come on down and join us for a fun afternoon at The Nail Bar:

#132-6350 120 St,
Surrey, BC
V3X3K1

And don’t forget to bring a new or used-but-in-good-condition bra to donate!

RSVP at the Facebook Event: http://www.facebook.com/events/109244509200804/

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