The alumni of the Cook Inlet Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse therapy program, a new group dedicated to helping community members in recovery, are throwing their first ever outreach event Saturday.
Caleb Smith, a graduate of CICADA and one of the main organizers of the event — called “Soctober” in honor of the warm sock and clothes drive that will take place — said Thursday that he wants to promote fun sober life.
“We’re really trying to … de-stigmatize the thought that addicts in the community are a problem,” Smith said. “(We) want to give back in a positive way.”
The event is from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday at the Cook Inlet Counseling parking lot at 10200 Kenai Spur Highway in Kenai, and consists of rock painting, the winter gear giveaway and a free spaghetti lunch.
Smith said he and the rest of the alumni “can do some good things with our abilities and resources.”
CICADA is a nonprofit organization with branches in both Kenai and Homer that provides alcohol and drug abuse treatment.
Recently, the group hosted an informational training session about Naloxone nasal spray — a medication designed to reverse the effects of a narcotic overdose in an emergency.
Smith said the Naloxone training was the first session of the group, and that knowing how to deploy the spray is important. He hopes to host more educational sessions as the group grows its engagement base.
“I’ve seen Narcan (a brand of Naloxone) save lives on the peninsula,” he said.
Smith said the motive of the CICADA alumni group is simple: People in recovery want to help other people in recovery.
Brainstorm meetings with the CICADA alumni are held at the Cook Inlet Counseling building from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. every Thursday.
To learn more about CICADA visit alaskacicada.org, follow the alumni group’s Facebook page or call the office at 907-740-3571.
