Happy Valentine’s Day! Last week we reported that we had the privilege of meeting the first lady at Caren Lobo’s home in Sarasota. But then the week got even better. We received the news that our first documentary, The Secret World of Recovery, has been nominated for a Voice Award.  This is a huge honor. We couldn’t be more excited.

About the Voice Award

Sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the Voice Awards honor consumer/peer leaders who have done exemplary work promoting the social inclusion of individuals with behavioral health problems. The awards also recognize TV and film writers and producers that incorporate dignified, respectful, and accurate portrayals of individuals with behavioral health problems into their scripts, programs, and productions.

The 2012 Voice Awards ceremony will take place on Wednesday, August 22 at Paramount Studios in Hollywood, CA. The event brings together people from the entertainment industry and behavioral health community for a night that celebrates increased awareness of mental health and substance use disorders and the power of recovery.

For more information about the Voice Awards, please visit www.voiceawards.samhsa.gov.

For information about using The Secret World for an event or fundraiser, contact us.

REACH OUT RECOVERY ROCK AND RUN OCTOBER 22-22, 2011

Reach Out Recovery started the year with a blackout that took our website down for a few weeks. When it came up again, it was missing the beautiful photos and report of our rock concert on October 22 and Run Walk October 23^rd in Ted Sperling Park on Lido Beach. But the photos are now back up and you can see them in our gallery.

The evening concert and ROR run-walk brought out about 500 people for the two-day event which was a first for the newly named Ted Sperling Park. It was a glorious Friday evening and a glorious Saturday morning enjoyed by beach lovers, recovery lovers, music, and run/walkers alike. We want to thank Diane Lyons of the Shamrockers and New Balance for creating the run-walk, and help with the beautiful T-shirts, Tim Wilkins for his hilarious MC job, Twinkle, Willie Royal and Road Recovery for their amazing performances, the Guitar Center for the beautiful guitars we raffled, Barb McSweeney for the stunning bracelet prize for the winner of the 5k race and all the artisans and food vendors who came. The City of Sarasota and Sarasota County were both sponsors and helped with permitting and costs for the mobile stage, which looked fabulous out on the beach. The Fire Department came out to watch over us.  The festivities were filmed for our new movie, The Silent Majority, which will start previewing soon.