Rep. Serpa to Serve as Rally for Recovery Torchbearer

Rep. Patricia A. Serpa has been selected as one of 10 torchbearers who will lead a procession on Sept. 10 to a special WaterFire in honor of Recovery Month, marked each September to celebrate people in recovery and the work of those who provide treatment and care for them.

Representative Serpa (D-Dist. 27, West Warwick, Warwick, Coventry) was selected for her consistent support for recovery programs, treatment providers and the recovery community. Earlier this year, she was named Legislator of the Year by Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts, Inc. (RICARES) for her ongoing support of the organization’s efforts and for going above and beyond to listen to the needs and concerns of members of the recovery community.

Representative Serpa will help lead the procession from the Roger Williams National Memorial (282 North Main St., Providence) to Waterplace Park to light the evening’s WaterFire. The procession will be the culmination of a rally from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the memorial. The Rally for Recovery is a free, family-friendly festival with great activities for the kids including arts and crafts, face painting, a reptile show, toys and balloons, a rock wall and more. It is also an educational event to raise awareness about drug and alcohol addiction, mental illness, developmental disabilities and the journey of recovery.

Last year, more than 80 organizations from across Rhode Island set up information tables to share this message. The program includes national and local speakers, lawmakers, advocates and individuals sharing their personal stories of recovery. For more information about the event and Recovery Month, visit www.rally4recovery.com.

“I am honored to be a part of this celebration of those who are making their way down a very difficult path, and those who support their journeys. You can’t underestimate the challenges faced by people who are trying to free themselves of addiction and those helping them. I hope this public celebration strengthens them and lets them know that they are not alone, that our community wants them to succeed, and that we will help them get there,” said Representative Serpa.