LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WHAS11) -- A Saturday barbecue at Cherokee Park brought out many smiles, but the happy faces were for more than just the food and camaraderie at the Young People in Recovery's Unity in Power celebration.
"It's showing everyone that we can change, we do change and we become productive members of our community," Jenni Meredith, Young People in Recovery's Louisville chapter lead, said.
For several of the people at the event, Saturday was a showcase of the other side of substance abuse recovery.
"It can affect anyone," Meredith said. "I went to a private high school, went on to UofL, and it just spiraled out of control even though I come from a great family."
"It almost killed me," Alan Lemke said. "It almost took me out and I am now in long-term recovery."
For Lemke, a member of Young People in Recovery, he has been breaking free from the drug addiction that haunted his life for 20 years. He said one of the most empowering things is the freedom he has from constantly looking for his next fix.
"That's the number one thing on your mind, no matter what. When you first wake up, that's the first thing on your mind," he said. "First thing that I think when I wake up now is what am I going to eat for breakfast."
But while Lemke, Meredith and others may no longer be dependent on drugs or alcohol, they know there are others who still are grappling with that dependency, which is why Saturday's celebration is also geared towards helping others break their own chains of addiction, which includes working on eliminating the stigma that will often keep people from seeking help.
"A lot of them feel like they're almost lepers being cast out," Lemke said.
"There is a way out," Jeffersontown Police Major Brittney Garrett, the leader of the department's Angel Program helping people fight substance abuse, said. "There is help and there are people who are living and thriving in recovery."
"Somebody's been through it," Meredith said. "Somebody has been where you've been and we can take your hand and help you get to the other side, just like somebody did for us."
They know first hand that the road to recovery is not an easy one, but having someone who knows the way certainly helps.
For more information about the local YPR chapter, click here.
For more information about Young People in Recovery's national mission, click here.