Category | Arts & Living

Attention race fans

Published on August 26, 2008 by The Sentinel

    September is National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month,
and the Collegiate Recovery Center has organized a 5k run to raise
awareness of recovery issues and of the center’s presence on campus. 

     The run, which is open to students, faculty, and members of the community at large, will be held on Sat., Sept. 6th, at 9:30 am, with race-day registration beginning at 8 am. 

    Participants will run or walk the one-mile loop around KSU’s Campus Green three times.  Both runners and walkers who wish to preregister may do so online at active.com or at any Big Peach Running Co. store in the Atlanta area.  The cost of the race is $25 for individuals, $40 for a team of two, and $50 for a team of four or a family.  Every registered participant will receive a tee shirt and a bag of goodies from the race’s sponsors, which include the aforementioned Big Peach, Dunkin’ Donuts, Jersey Mike’s Subs, Waste Management, the KSU Alumni Assoc., UMADD (University Mothers Against Drunk Driving), the Carmax Foundation, Choate Construction, and Talbott Recovery Campus. 

    Awards will be presented to the top three male and female finishers in a number of age groups.  Following the race, participants should not run off too quickly; there will be post-race festivities, great food, and information on drug and alcohol awareness provided by local community partners.
    All proceeds from the race will benefit the recovery center, which offers a scholarship to students who have been enrolled in its program for at least six months, have maintained a GPA of 3.0 or higher, and have met other qualifying criteria.

     The recovery center, a division of CAPS Counseling Center, opened its doors to students in September 2007.  The purpose of the recovery center is to facilitate a peer-to-peer community of recovery while supporting academic achievement.  Students help other students face and overcome the difficulties stemming from addictive disorders, including eating disorders. 

    The center offers three 12-step recovery meetings on campus every week; for meeting times, students may contact the center at 678-797-2538 or visit its Web site.  Or they can simply drop by the center; staff is available on-site in the University College building, Room 222, from 8am to 5 pm. In addition to attending meetings, students may choose to participate in the center’s recovery program, which includes a life skills class.

    According to the center’s director, Teresa Johnston, many colleges and universities do not have a place on campus for students to get assistance and support with addictive disorders.  The center represents a vital resource to the KSU community because, among other things, it provides an alternative to traditional methods of addressing issues as they arise.  Johnston said, “It brings a sense that if there’s a problem [with students], we’re not going to throw them out.  We’re going to help them change.”