At 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission will honor the accomplishments of 12 men and four women graduating from the 12-month residential drug and alcohol treatment program with a “Tribute to Recovery” graduation.
These individuals are just the latest of more than 600 graduates since 1997 who have completed the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission’s program and become productive citizens of the community.
In contrast to national statistics that show only 21 percent of those who complete addiction recovery programs not returning to dependency within five years, more than 59 percent of the Rescue Mission’s graduates maintain recovery over this same time period.
“As a family of friends committed to those who God has placed in our caring, we’re changing lives like these program graduates –– for good,” said Rolf Geyling, president of the Rescue Mission.
The public is invited to come and hear the men and women share their personal stories of recovery. The ceremony will be hosted by Emanuel Lutheran Church at 3721 Modoc Road in Santa Barbara.
— Rebecca Weber is the communications director for the Santa Barbara Rescue Mission.