By Barbara High bhigh@newstribune.info.
Tribune Staff Writer
BURLINGTON – Staggers Recovery House recently held a graduation and celebrated the four women who completed the year-long program.
Three of the women took part in the ceremony and many people came out to celebrate with them.
Staggers House opened in September of 2016. The house was donated by the Stagger family. Dr. Julie Staggers was on hand for the day’s events. After the Rev. Angel Alt gave the invocation, Dr. Staggers took the podium to speak to those who were in attendance and represent the Staggers family.
Staggers said she was there to mark a special occasion, and told the ladies that the fact that they were there was a testament to their strength. She reminded them that previous addictions don’t define who you are. She said that the Staggers Recovery House ladies were a living example that treatment facilities like this work.
Cindy Pyles addressed the group and read a greeting from Gov. Jim Justice, who was unable to attend the ceremomy. Justice’s letter state that the program had his full support and it was a great day for the woman in West Virginia. Justice added that this program was a wonderful thing and an asset for the women in our state.
Michael Garcia read greetings from U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito, who said for over 100 years Burlington United Family Services has offered West Virginia children and their families life-saving services. Now Staggers Recovery House continues that tradition.
Capito said that drug abuse will only get worse if action is not taken, and that is one of her top legislative priorities. Capito wrote that she applauded the work the Staggers Recovery House and their staff were doing everyday to help people.
Michael Garcia read the greetings for U.S. Senator Joe Manchin, where he wrote that the Staggers Recovery House helps the women make changes to improve the quality of their lives and the lives of their families. He said that he, as well as their families and friends, was proud of them for achieving this exciting milestone.
Carrie Fadiska, Stagger’s Recovery House director, said it takes a lot for these women to commit to this and their recovery.
“They fight every day, every day they wake up and continue to fight,” she said.
She said that they had the right tools for success and announced that two of the ladies would be staying aboard to work with others.
Michael Price, CEO and president of the Burlington United Methodist Family Services, welcomed the ladies to the Burlington family. “Once you become a part of the family, you will always be,” he said.
Price said the Staggers Recovery House was new for them, and that they used to treat just children, but they had come to realize to make a difference in families, something had to be done about the drugs that often tore families apart. Staggers Recovery House was the answer.
Mia Vansant, a staff member of the Recovery House, said you could see the difference in the ladies from the day they walked through the door to one year later. She praised their accomplishments.
The three ladies who took part in the ceremony – Ashley Hiett, Miranda Filius, and Ashley Easton – walked up to the podium and told the crowd how much the program had changed their lives. They had come a long way to get to their one-year sobriety, and you could tell how much support they had by the many that were in attendance.
The graduation wrapped up with gifts and a dinner for those who came out to celebrate the amazing accomplishments of four women.