THOMASVILLE- The Mobilize Recovery Across Georgia bus tour stopped in Thomasville on Wednesday morning, drawing in city officials to proclaim September as National Recovery Month.

The tour is a partnership between the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities, the Georgia Council for Recovery and the Clinton Foundation. It’s ultimate goal is to raise awareness throughout Georgia for the 800,000 plus individuals living in long-term recovery. The hope is that by drawing in the communities at the 48 different stops on the tour, a difference can be made by working together.

“Recovery from drugs and alcohol is about rebuilding and restoring lives,” CEO of Substance Use Disorders and Recovery at the Clinton Foundation Chris Thrasher said. “When I think of a community, I often think of the four f’s: family, friends, faith and food and our Mobilize Recovery Across Georgia is all about that. It’s about bringing people together.”

Thrasher said he knows there are currently hundreds of thousands of individuals living in long-term recovery and they are trying to bring that number together to bring a voice to their one common struggle.

“We know 1+1+1 is far greater than three,” he said. “We have to speak in one voice and know that what we’re doing is God’s work and help communities and villages and towns come together and recognize this is a disease. It is not a moral failing; it is a disease of the brain. We need to treat addiction like it is- a chronic illness.”

Thrasher told the crowd that while it is a tough battle, addiction can be beaten as he has been in long-term recovery since December 17, 1989.

Thrasher then invited some of the many community members advocating for recovery to the podium.

Charles Hines with Wecovery, held at Georgia Pines spoke to the crowd about some of the offerings of Wecovery.

“Wecovery is a place that helps people with broken lives and I’ve been a part of it for the last four years,” Hines said. “We touch a lot of people and have saved thousands of lives. I think of us as a bridge between illusion and reality.”

Hines said he knows the dangers of living in a world of illusions, because he lived through for a long time.

“It’s been 10 years since I’ve been there, and over the last 10 years I’ve seen things that I had never seen before in all my life, so today we shed a little bit of light on what this world is like without drugs or alcohol,” he said.

Hines said Wecovery has started seeing younger and younger attendees, making it difficult to explain what life is like outside of drugs and alcohol, but he knows it is possible.

“When you grow up into that life, it’s hard, but you have to know we’ve been there and we found success,” he concluded.

City Councilwoman Wanda Warren applauded both Hines and Thrasher for their testimonies and thanked the Recovery Bus for coming through Thomasville and supporting a true need in all communities.

She shared her gratitude by presenting the Mobilize Recovery Across Georgia team a Proclamation from the City of Thomasville, declaring September as National Recovery Month.

After graciously accepting the proclamation, Jessica Geschke, Senior Project Manager for the Clinton Foundation, provided Warren with an Overdose Aid Kit (OAK).

“An OAK Box is a new initiative belonging to the Overdose Response Network by way of the Clinton Foundation,” Geschke said. “We are so excited to be able to provide these at each of 48 stops during the Mobilize Recovery Across Georgia bus tour.”

Each OAK Box contains Narcan, fentanyl testing strips, breathing masks and other harm reduction supplies.

“Our goal for the 2023-24 year is to install as many OAK boxes in as many public places such as, homeless shelters, hotels, city halls, factories and gas stations, as we are able to do so. We envision a time when OAK Boxes are as prevalent as defibrillators in all public spaces and places.”

Department Community Outreach Manager Jeff Breedlove knows that in an ideal world, the OAK Box would never have to be used, but he also realizes that when National Recovery Month is over, people will still be struggling and fighting a mental and physical battle every day and that is when the real recovery starts and when the community has to rally together for those individuals.

“Recovery is every day for the rest of someone’s life and we have to support those people on the front lines,” he said.

Those dedicated to rallying behind individuals in recovery were then encouraged to sign the bus before it hit the road on its next stop.