COLUMBIA, Pa. — Community members, public figures, local businesses and behavioral health providers gathered in Columbia, Lancaster County for the 11th Annual Nicole Conway Recovery Volleyball Tournament on Aug. 24. The goal of the yearly event is to celebrate the power of recovery, resilience and the gift of second chances for those who have struggled with addiction and mental health.
The day-long event raised more than $12,000 this year. It started in 2013 to honor Nicole Conway's son, who suddenly lost his mother to a battle from a substance-use disorder. Chris Dreisbach, the founder of Blueprints for Addiction Recovery, explained the tournament is a support system for children in similar situations.
"The community is showing up and showing out and really proving that they love and support children and I am just such a huge fan of the fact that this has quadrupled in size over the last couple of years," said Dreisbach.
Blueprints for Addiction Recovery is a substance use and mental health network, based in Lancaster County, that provides life-saving prevention, treatment and recovery programs across South Central Pennsylvania. CEO Benjamin McCoy explained the importance of raising awareness of substance use and mental health treatment.
"It's an opportunity to honor the people we've lost, and to celebrate recovery with partners, advocates and friends in the fight against recidivism, overdose and death," said McCoy. "Beyond the fun of the tournament and the rest of the activities throughout the day, a key goal of the event is to educate the community and connect people to lifesaving services and supports."
The Recovery Opportunity and Community Foundation presented this year's event at Fairview Park in Columbia. The foundation is a public charity that manages a fund benefiting children who have lost their parents to overdose.
Along with competing in the volleyball tournament, attendees participated in raffles, indulged in local food trucks and learned about the various services and resources available to individuals and families throughout the region.
