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Phoenix Awards Honor Recovery

Posted on: Thursday, 8 June 2006, 12:01 CDT

By Ingrid Stegemoeller, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.

Jun. 8--Vickie Martin has come a long way in her recovery from alcohol addiction, she said.

After losing her job, house and car, Marti n began volunteering for CHOICE and the Prescription Assistance Program. Martin now works for CHOICE helping people who can't afford prescriptions get the medications they need.

"Working for CHOICE is an awesome thing for me," Martin said Wednesday. "It has given me a purpose in life."

Spending more time with her grandchildren is another plus, she said, adding that she likes to take them swimming, play board games and talk.

"Now that my life is back together, my children have let me back in their lives," Martin said.

In recognition of her recovery, Martin will receive a Phoenix Award from Behavioral Health Resources, an organization designed to help those with addiction and mental health problems.

The Phoenix Awards honor individuals who have "risen from the ashes" of mental illness and addiction and the people who aided in their recovery. This year, seven people will receive awards.

The awards originated as a way to break the stigma surrounding mental illness, said Judi Hoefling, BHR community relations director.

"We label people with mental disease as crazy," Hoefling said. "These people are not their disease. They are human and productive and wonderful."

Recipients will be honored today at the Indian Summer Golf & Country Club.

The keynote speaker is Randy Revelle, who will talk about his personal experience with mental illness while serving as King County executive.

"It makes a huge difference for someone of that stature to stand up and be a functioning member of society," Hoefling said.

The awards:

* Edward Thomas will receive an Addiction Recovery award. Thomas, who was nominated by Patrick Martin, spent years in treatment centers and jail as a result of alcohol and drug addiction. His passion for baseball led him to become a coach, and he now leads two teams that help people recover from addictions and mental illness.

* Bonnie Staples will receive a Mental Health award for her recovery. Laura Lane of the Pathfinders supported employment program at BHR nominated Staples, saying hard work and time spent volunteering helped Staples overcome numerous mental illness symptoms. She now works for the Mental Health division of the Department of Social and Health Services, where she helped found the Peer Counseling Program.

* Maddy DeGive is director of student and staff support at North Thurston Public Schools. She was nominated for the Professional Services in Medicine award by Andrea Parrish, BHR Children's Program director. DeGive has spent years working on programming and services for kids, bringing in grant money and uniting mental health agencies and substance abuse services. Her efforts seek to better services for the school district, families and the community.

* Kip Stilz, a Thurston County District Court judge, will receive the Professional Services in Law award and was nominated by Cathy Wolfe, a county commissioner. Stilz has worked to improve the county's mental health court and treats the people he serves with compassion and care, Wolfe said.

* Daniel and Steven Baxter will receive the Professional Services award for contributions as foster parents. The two have supported many children through mental illness and substance abuse. Patrick Barnes of Sound Opportunies and BHR nominated them.

* Vickie Martin was nominated for an addiction recovery award by Matt Hornyak of CHOICE Regional Health Network.

Nominations for 2007 Phoenix Awards can be made by contacting BHR's Community Mental Health Foundation at 360-236-7111.

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Copyright (c) 2006, The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

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Source: The Olympian, Olympia, Wash.

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