A crowd of about 100 supporters of the Post Community Recovery Center enjoyed a steak dinner at the 5th Annual Recovery Roundup.
On Saturday night, September 22, the Community Recovery Center transformed the Post Community Center into an elegant banquet hall to host their 5th Annual Recovery Roundup fall fundraiser. Upon entering the community center one would make their way past tables of items donated by local individuals and businesses for a silent auction, then make their way through a flowing archway with a beautiful chandelier into a room featuring tables adorned with elegant centerpieces to sit at and enjoy a steak dinner and an evening of fellowship, entertainment and support for the Community Recovery Center.
The Center was blessed with approximately 100 supporters and donors at the annual event hosted to help raise funds for the daily operation of the Center. The event featured a live and silent auction with such notable items as a “Red Raider Package” that included an autographed game basketball by Coach Kristy Curry and the Lady Raiders, a Dallas Cowboy Jersey Autographed by Troy Aikman, a Remington 20 gauge shotgun and the caterer for the event, P.J.’s Catering From The Heart, donated a catered meal for 20 for the live auction. These items were but a few of the items auctioned off at the event that had been donated by local supporters.
The featured speakers this year were local speaker Jonathan Newman and guest speaker, retired veterinarian Dr. Ed Murray. Both individuals shared their stories of struggles with alcoholism or addiction and their paths to recovery. Dr. Murray also discussed the benefits of rural communities, such as Post, having an agency like The Community Recovery Center to address services that are being cut at state and local agencies providing substance abuse services. He discussed how often legal involvement or other supervisory involvement sometimes make it hard for people seeking services to meet their needs and that having a local agency was a credit to the community and those that support it by addressing a social need at the base level.
The Community Recovery Center also recognizes an individual or organization each year at their fundraiser with the presentation of the Giles C. McCrary Award. This award is presented to an individual or organization in the community that serves the community in the best interest of the community. This year’s recipient of the Giles C. McCrary Award was local business owner Jackie Cruse. Mr. Cruse was recognized for the support he has provided the community in both time, talent and for local events that he has planned that has benefited local merchants and businesses as well.
Dignitaries present were Nelda Dalby, co-founder of the Community Recovery Center, Johanna Waterhouse, past Administrative Assistant and past Director Doug Stone.
Entertainment at this year’s event was sponsored by the E. A. Franklin trust and was national recording artist Kenny Maines. Maines played a variety of country and western songs made famous by both him, the Maines Brothers Band and included a few tributes to other artists such as Hank Williams, Sr. and others.
Director Chris Atkinson noted that this year the Community Recovery Center celebrated its 30th Anniversary, the establishment of the C.J. Schoenrock Memorial Scholarship, in honor of the past director of the Center, and that this year was the 5th anniversary of the Recovery Roundup.
Atkinson reported that he, the Board of Directors and the staff at the Community Recovery Center have been “blessed beyond measure" for the support and response it receives form the city, county, individuals and businesses that have continued to help in “helping others to help themselves.” Atkinson pointed out that in the Community Recovery Center mission statement one of the primary goals is to instill in others “a sense of hope and belief in themselves” and that through this helps them in becoming givers instead of takers. He explained that this year’s fundraiser was a big success and reported that all funds generated from the event are poured back into the local economy.