An Open Letter to the Community

Rochester Recovery Film Festival Open Town Hall Meeting
September 14, 2014
12:00p.m.-1:300p.m.
Monroe Community College
Topics
Treatment, Prevention,Education, Addiction in Our Community

Thank You for taking the time to read this letter. I write this letter in effort to persuade you to possibly put aside some time on Sunday September 14,2014. I realize how precious time can be. After all Sunday is a day of rest, a day to spend time with the family, a day to watch some football, right? Well I am still going to ask you to put aside a few hours to come join in, to be apart of, to help out, to bring some families back together, to help maybe someone living on the streets, to help your community, your town, your village, your neighborhood.

You see what I am asking you to do is help, inspire, educate, teach, make others aware, become aware yourself. I hope you can understand that what I'm talking about is a subject that people don't like to talk about. Some of us are ashamed, some of us are mad, some of us are scared, some of us are confused and most of us are misinformed. They call us names,They beat us down, they judge us. We hide, We stand in the shadows, we look down and yes we even deny who we are and what we are.

What! Who not us!

You see all of us as a community even tried to deny that it even existed. Not Here, Not in my Town, Not in my Village, Not in My Neighborhood, Not on my Street, Not in my House, Not in My Family, Not Me!

That only happens in the City, Poor People, Gangs, Thugs, Junkies,

Was that thinking a mistake?

Oh! What a Mistake

I think we know by now that addiction is alive and well in the city, in the suburbs.

I hope we are smart enough to know that sweeping this under the rug , by ignoring it and by listening to a lot of misinformation from a lot of misinformed people is doing us nothing. The results are in - a huge spike in gang violence, more crime, more victims, more drug related overdoses and deaths, more hospital visits, more people homeless, etc,etc.

We can no longer stand in the shadows or live under the rug. We have to do something, you have to do something, our community needs to do something.

You see the media doesn't seem to care about finding a solution. The media doesn't seem to care about slowing down the overdoses, the deaths, the lives destroyed, the families torn apart. The media only seems interested in glamorizing the overdoses, the deaths, the violence, the crime, the stigma.

So if you are an elected public official or representative, we encourage you to come. If you are a public servant involved in law enforcement, EMT, education, fire,anyone we invite you to come. If you are in recovery or want to be in recovery or you have a loved one in active addiction or in long term recovery we encourage you to come.

The Rochester Recovery Film Festival Open Town Hall Meeting

Monroe Community College

 September 14, 2014

12:00 p.m.- 1:30 p.m.

Topics include

Prevention, Treatment, Education, Addiction in our Community

Now about that football game. You might miss the first half but that is what DVR's are for. Plus by showing up you might just help somebody or your community. You might save a life.

David Attridge

Director

Rochester Recovery Film Festival

Rochesterrecoveryfilmfestival.org

Russell Brand's Addiction to Recovery to be Featured at The Rochester Recovery Film Festival

The Rochester Recovery Council is pleased to announce Russell Brand's Addiction to Recovery as another Featured Film to be shown at this years Rochester Recovery Film Festival.
Russell Brand a Comedian,Actor,Radio Host,Author and Activist is known for many things such as the movies "Forgetting Sarah Marshall", "Arthur", "Get Him to The Greek" and "Rock of Ages".
You have probably heard Brand's voice in "Despicable Me","Hop" and "Despicable Me 2"
Brand is also know for his controversies following his dismissal from MTV. His resignation from the BBC for making prank phone calls on air.
Brand also is a voice and critic for many global issues. A man not afraid to speak out for those who can't.
Drugs and Alcohol Addiction, The Disease of Addiction are also a major part of Brand's story.
Ten years ago Russell Brand was addicted to Heroin, his career was unraveling and he was told he may have only 6 months to live. The story of how he battled to stay clean of drugs is at the heart of this eye opening and searingly honest, personal film in which Brand challenges how our society deals with Addicts and Addiction.

It comes in the tragic wake of the death of his friend Amy Whinehouse, which was the spur to the exploration of the " Condition of Addiction"  which he believes is misunderstood and wrongly treated. Brand meets a whole range of people from whom he draws insight, scientists at the cutting edge of the psychology of The disease of addiction, those involved in innovative recovery treatments and even those still caught in the grip of addiction. Is addiction a disease? Should it be criminalized? Is abstinence based recovery, which worked for Brand a step forward?
In this documentary Brand challenges conventional theory and practice as well as Government policy in his own inimitable style, confronting the disease of addiction head on. Along the way he draws on his own experience to try and help one of the addicts he meets to take the first steps towards recovery. Armed with his own heartfelt beliefs and insights he gained during his journey, Brand has the opportunity to change the hearts and minds  of policy makers when he is invited to give evidence to the Home Affairs Select Committee on the current efficiency of drug addiction treatment in the UK.
Russell Brand's Addiction to Recovery will be featured at The Rochester Recovery Film Festival on Saturday September 13,2014 at 10:45 pm and will be followed by a 40 minute Q&A. "Russell Brand with his documentary brings such a Powerful voice for people in Recovery and People still in active addiction by bringing to light the need for treatment and aftercare..We are honored to be able to bring that voice to Upstate New York." said David Attridge Executive Director of The Rochester Recovery Film Festival.
Discount Weekend Passes are available now for purchase at www.rochesterrecoveryfilmfestival.org