The Evening Sun | The Turning Point Celebrates First Anniversary

NORWICH

—

On

May

24,

The

Turning

Point,

also

known

as

The

Friends

of

Recovery

of

Delaware

and

Otsego

Counties

(FORDO)

located

at

24

East

Main

Street,

celebrated

their

one

year

anniversary

with

a

networking

and

luncheon

event.

The

event

included

Narcan

training,

staff

and

sponsor

introductions

and

a

follow

up

with

cake

and

coffee.

Executive

Director

Debra

Berrios

said,

“It

is

with

great

honor,

that

we

are

here

today,

celebrating

a

full

year.

The

RC

Smith

Foundation

is

the

main

reason

why

the

lights

are

on,

the

doors

are

open

and

there’s

staff

here.

They

took

a

chance

with

us

and

they

decided

to

fund

us

for

two

years

to

plant

ourselves

in

this

community.

It

is

a

great

honor

they

are

here

today

and

we

would

like

to

acknowledge

them.”

A

plaque

was

presented

to

the

RC

Smith

Foundation,

thanking

them

for

their

generosity.

RC

Smith

board

member

and

Oxford

resident

Bill

Troxell

said,

“Robert

Smith

was

a

very

simple

person.

He

loved

Norwich

and

Chenango

County

and

lived

his

whole

life

here.

He

worked

at

Victory,

which

became

Great

American.

Robert

established

his

foundation

in

2005

and

leaving

his

significant

estate

for

the

betterment

of

the

residents

of

Chenango

County.”

“Since

its

inception,

the

Smith

foundation

has

granted

approximately

$13

million

dollars

to

over

50

organizations

around

Chenango

County.

One

of

the

organizations

is

The

Turning

Point

of

Chenango

County

and

the

foundation

provided

the

original

grant

money

necessary

to

establish

this

home,

this

facility,

this

project,

and

this

hope,

providing

a

much

needed

service.,”

Troxell

said.

“We

want

to

congratulate

and

thank

Debra

Berrios,

Program

Manager

KyleLaFever

and

the

staff

for

establishing

and

developing

this

center

over

the

past

year.

Much

congratulations

on

behalf

of

the

RC

Smith

foundation,”

he

added.

The

Board

members

were

also

present

and

received

flowers.

Board

Vice

President

Zoe

Aponte

explained

the

organization

has

been

around

since

2000

and

Debra

Berrios

has

been

leading

it

for

5

years

of

the

23

years.

“All

of

the

expansion

that

has

been

happening

has

been

under

Berrios

leadership.”

Aponte

said.

“Alcoholism

and

addiction

is

really

pervasive

and

in

one

way

or

another

it

effects

all

of

our

families.

The

support

we’re

getting

from

the

RC

Smith

foundation

and

from

other

organizations

is

critical

to

the

success

of

this

organization,”

she

added.

Board

member

Ken

Lewis

said

he

was

happy

Turning

Point

is

here

and

the

impact

they

have

made

on

the

community

in

such

a

short

period

of

time

is

huge.

Board

member

Michael

McAneny

said

he

had

the

privilege

of

being

associated

with

Friends

of

Recovery

since

it’s

inception

in

2000.

He

added

he

was

excited

that

roots

have

finally

taken

in

Chenango

County

and

thanked

the

members

of

Chenango

County

and

Norwich

community

for

their

help.

Berrios

explained

Chenango

County

also

has

been

extremely

generous

with

them

in

many

ways

and

they

were

awarded

a

nice

sum

of

money

from

the

Opioids

Settlement

Funds.

Congressman

Molinaros’

office

called

and

congratulated

them.

They

were

awarded

a

nearly

million

dollar

Building

Communities

of

Recovery

SAMHSA

grant

for

Chenango

county.

The

Turning

Point

Recovery

Community

and

Outreach

Center

provide

recovery

Support

Services

to

help

initiate

and/or

sustain

long-term

recovery

and

prevent

re-occurrence

by

building

recovery

capital,

demonstrating

hope,

inviting

all

to

participate,

promoting

volunteerism,

and

creating

public

awareness.

Berrios

said,

“We’re

impacting

the

community

by

bringing

an

awareness

and

decreasing

stigma,

providing

Narcan

education,

care

recovery

support

and

a

place

where

people

feel

safe

and

seek

sobriety.

Approximately

75

people

a

week

walk

through

our

doors

.

In

our

future,

I

see

more

staffing,

expansion

of

hours

and

service

and

expanding

our

actual

location.

The

Turning

Point

hours

are

9

a.m

to

5

p.m

Monday

through

Friday.

Berrios

said

her

motto

is,

“Stigma

stops

here.”

The

Turning

Point

envisions

a

world

where

recovery

from

addiction

is

supported

and

celebrated

as

a

common

reality.

FORDO

currently

has

two

other

Turning

Point

centers,

located

at

22

Elm

Street

in

Oneonta

and

84

Main

Street

in

Delhi.

Roberts

said

she

hopes

the

centers

have

helped

to

end

the

stigma

around

addiction,

and

made

communities

feel

safe.

To

schedule

an

appointment

call

607-373-3825.

Additional

information

about

FORDO

can

be

found

on

the

Friends

of

Recovery

of

Delaware

and

Otsego

Counties,

Inc.

Facebook

page,

and

on

their

website

friendsofrecoverydo.org.