Help aid in addiction treatment and prevention – here’s how
Anyone who has personally experienced or who knows someone with an addiction knows how difficult it can be to overcome the disease and build a better future.
Pahrump resident Shelley Poerio is one such person, having started her own journey to recovery in 2001 and later creating an enterprise out of her experiences with Living Free Health and Fitness. With her intimate knowledge of the struggles those working through addiction can face, Poerio has developed a host of programs that are all geared toward the same essential mission – helping those in recovery stay stopped.
Since launching her nonprofit in 2013, Poerio has strived to grow Living Free and it is now an umbrella organization that includes not only the original treatment and support branch but two businesses, Living Free Café and Living Free Gym. In 2023, Poerio also took a dive into the public event’s arena with the inaugural Living Free Art for Recovery Auction and Dinner fundraiser, which helps generate additional income to ensure that Living Free can offer clients programs and services which may not be covered through traditional funding sources.
“Supporting critical substance treatment and recovery programs”, the annual Art for Recovery will make its return for the third consecutive year this March and Poerio is anticipating another exciting night of fundraising, education and inspirational stories from those who have found their strength in sobriety.
“The ‘entertainment’ portion of the evening will be comprised of five speakers,” Poerio told the Pahrump Valley Times this week. “We’ll have four Living Free Health clients/former clients who have benefited from our treatment, housing and therapeutic workplace initiatives at Living Free Café and Living Free Gym. All four are employed at Living Free – one as peer support, two in the café and one in the gym. The four will speak about their lives in addiction and how our programs helped them to change their lives.
“Our fifth speaker will be Joelle Bolton,” Poerio continued. “She will be speaking to the family disease of addiction and she’ll also pay homage to her late husband, Keith, who had a number of years sober before he passed on December 14 last year. Kevin was a volunteer for Living Free and was eventually voted in as an officer and board member.”
There will be both live and silent auctions and, as the event’s name implies, it will be the artwork itself that will take center stage.
“All of the art for our silent and live action has been donated by local Pahrump Valley artisans from the arts council, as well as by my mother,” Poerio noted.
However, it’s not just masterpieces of art that will be up for grabs but plenty of other tempting items as well. “We’ll have a variety of live and silent auction items, ranging from sports tickets to fantastically arrayed gift baskets, so one need not be a fan of art to enjoy and participate in this fundraiser!” Poerio enthused.
The 3rd Annual Art for Recovery is set for Saturday, March 8 at the Pahrump Nugget Events Center, with doors to open at 5 p.m.
Tickets are $75 per person or $700 for a table of eight. Sponsorship packages are available at three levels, silver, gold and platinum, with the cost of $375, $500 and $1,000 respectively.
To purchase tickets, sponsorship packages or for more information call 775- 505-1625, visit LivingFreeHealth.org or stop by the café at 2050 N. Highway 160, Suite 400, in the shopping center at the corner of Mesquite Avenue and Highway 160.
Contact reporter Robin Hebrock at rhebrock@pvtimes.com
