SOS to hold special 'Never Alone' Christmas Day program

SOS Recovery Community Center is located at 63 S. Main Street in Rochester. (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - A "Never Alone Christmas Celebration and Potluck Dinner" will be hosted by SOS Recovery Community Organization from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Christmas Day at its Rochester SOS Recovery Community Center located at 63 S. Main Street in Rochester.

Recovery meetings will be held throughout the day and a Potluck Dinner will be held at 1 p.m. There will also be cookie decorating for both young and old. All are invited to attend, including children.

"We are delighted to be able to utilize our space during the holidays to provide safe spaces with recovery based meetings for individuals to seek and maintain their recovery," said John Burns, director of SOS. "Our spaces are open to anyone seeking or maintaining their recovery and for those who may or may not have family to spend the holiday with this year."

According to Kila Downum, an SOS Capacity Building Specialist at the Rochester Center, the holidays can be a difficult time for some people in recovery.

"I spent several Christmases alone and it was the most painful time of my life," says Downum, "I don't think anyone should ever have to be alone on Christmas no matter what."

People are invited to bring a dish to share, if possible, and to attend one or more meetings throughout the day.

The mission of SOS RCO is to reduce the stigma and harm associated with substance misuse by providing a safe space and peer based supports for people in all stages of recovery. SOS RCO is a program of Goodwin Community Health, which provides access to primary, dental, prenatal, and behavioral health care as well as community wellness and public health services in Strafford County.

For more information about SOS Recovery Community Organization, go to www.SOSRCO.org or call (603) 841-2350.