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The road to recovery from addiction is never a straight line and consists of an every-day effort to remain clean.

Mistakes of the past make the uphill climb difficult and taxing.  It can leave a person wrapped within the stigma of drug and alcohol abuse, however, a local group started just one and  half years ago is hoping community outreach can help change the perception of those actively trying to recover from addiction.

“I started the group Community Recovery because that is what helped me get sober and stay in my continuous sobriety,” said the group’s founder Bridgette Trimble, who is a peer recovery specialist at Independent Management Services. “I wanted to start the group to help others achieve the same goals.”

Friday morning was the group’s first community service project where they helped clean up a yard at a northwest Austin home, which included raking the yard, picking up twigs and branches, removing garbage and doing a little planting.

While it’s the first dedicated service project, the group has also helped pick up garbage along the river as well as clean up a park.

It’s hoped that the group can continue these types of projects to help those in the community as others  have helped those attending the regular Friday meetings.

“Just because we made bad decisions when we were in active addiction doesn’t define us as who we are today,” Trimble said. “Show the community that we can do good things. Going and doing the work (Friday) also shows others that there is help out there. Inviting our friends just to come and have some fun with us on a Friday morning at 10:30 a.m.”

“We’re not bad people,” echoed group regular Troy Meyer. “We’re good people that made bad choices.”

The group that meets on Friday mornings at the 1st and 3rd Apartments isn’t a mandated group. Rather, it’s an informal gathering of people that can number anywhere between 10 and 30 people each time.

There are times, even, when drugs and alcohol aren’t even brought up. At that level, Community Recovery is simply a gathering of people with similar backgrounds to Trimble and Meyer, where they can receive positive support and affirmation.

“We’re trying to encourage other people to get sober because there are a lot of good people out there that haven’t decided to change yet,” Meyer said. “We’re trying to encourage them and show them that life can get better.”

That’s why these projects can be so important because not only can it relieve some of the stigma and perception of drug and alcohol abuse recovery, but it also gives those attending these meetings something positive to focus on.

To feel like they are an active and beneficial member of the community.

“When we feel and know we have a purpose and doing something like working for others or giving back, it makes us feel good inside and gives us a reason to continue doing well on our journey,” Trimble said. “Every single day it’s work on ourselves and showing others and helping others.”

All of this revolves around connections — connections with the community and connections with each other and along with this effort perhaps show others the cleaner path and give people the same chances they have received.

“It isn’t like going to an AA meeting. It’s more like making a connection meeting,” Meyer said. “Meeting with sober people and discussing what’s on your mind.”

But Trimble is also quick to point out the caveat that Community Recovery isn’t an end-all search for sobriety. It’s a tool in the toolbox of staying clean.

“We have some people that are still in active addiction that are just testing the water to see,” Trimble said. “They might be contemplating getting sober because that’s what I did.”

“Recovery is not a one-size fits all,” she continued. “Attend a lot of groups, try a lot of different ways. Grab what works for you at that moment and do it again the next day.”

The group encourages those struggling with addiction or recovery to attend meetings every Friday or to contact them with any community service projects they could help with.

Trimble can be reached at 1-507-437-6389 or by email at btrimble@imsofmn.com.

For more information on Independent Management Services, visit www.imsofmn.com or email info@imsofmn.com.