Your Awesome Shit: 200 words max:
I brought LifeRing Secular Recovery, the concept, to Victoria from California against many odds on January 30, 2008. LifeRing is a network of self-help support groups for those who struggle with substance abuse. We are a popular alternative to what is currently available and does not work for many. We now have ten fantastic groups locally; have a dedicated professional Board of Directors; a brilliant Advisory Board; local foundations are recognizing us financially; local professionals in the field love that we are here; we are expanding into other cities; and most importantly we have ten dedicated Volunteers who each week, for almost 4 years, have facilitated our groups in the city of Victoria and actually save the lives of many and provide support to those who attend. I recognize my volunteers by thanking them as much as possible and I mean it. But, I would love to take them all out and thank them properly for their time and dedication. We change peoples lives! If I had an awesome-shit-load-of-money, I would ask my volunteers where they wanted to go and take them. If there is money left over and I suspect there would be, I would donate it right back into LifeRing Canada.
Your Bio: 200 words max:
I am Michael Walsh. Happy and lucky to be alive – living a clean and sober life. I have quite a history: substance use started at 12 years old; sexual abuse started in my teens; cocaine at 16; heavy addiction and substance abuse into my mid-thirties. Fast forward. I am ten years in recovery with 8.5 years abstinent. I work for the Victoria Cool Aid Society, VIHA and I founded and have volunteered as Executive Director of LifeRing Canada for the last two years. LifeRing has changed my life in such a profound way. I have lost girlfriends (LOL) over my obsession and long hours of building the organizational infrastructure of LifeRing, so that one day there will be a central office and it will be a National organization with meetings in every major city, because those in recovery need and want options to what is currently available. I love life today and at one time I did not. I did not want to live, really. Today I am productive and creating change in the world and I rarely take time to congratulate myself, but I am doing it right now:) Thanks.
Email: [email protected]
Phone number: 250.896.8494
Your Location: Victoria
Company or Affiliation: LifeRing Secular Recovery Society Canada
Website: www.liferingcanada.org (new one about to arrive in a couple of weeks http://lifering.pixelsweatshop1.com/ – don’t mind some of the lousy “stock photos” – the big pictures are real LifeRing members)
Other contact info: no
Anything else you think we should know:
I am speaking about LifeRing and the success in Victoria on the National stage this Monday at http://www.issuesofsubstance.ca/Eng/Pages/Home.aspx. Very exciting stuff. My hope is to start some groups in Vancouver. Also, We have never had a budget to do nice things for Volunteers. Not even a coffee card of some sort. They have been very gracious to me, so I want to take care of them.