Skydive New England, Lebanon Me , June 3, 2017, 10:00 AM*

Our team, “Leap of Faith” shares a common bond. We are committed to raise awareness of the opioid epidemic in our communities and the affect it is having on families. In addition, we want to raise money for a non-profit organization that supports funding for young adults suffering with addiction to attend a long-term residential,twelve-step program. Many of these programs cost up to $15,000 and are not covered by health insurance. Five amazing people joined “Leap of Faith” to skydive for this very challenging and rewarding experience.

We are donating the money raised to a local non-profit organization “The Pelican Intervention Fund.” It provides funding for adults to attend a long term, 12 step based Sober Living program that achieves our goal.

They have raised $90,000 in one year and have placed 14 adults in residential programs.

Please make a donation to: www.pelicaninterventionfund.org

Please share our story with friends, family and on Facebook.

* The Pelican Intervention Fund and The Essex County Community Foundation are not endorsing or sponsoring this event.

Leap of Faith Skydiving Team

Alice Mulvany

Corey Ruane

Dani Sinclair

Dave Grabowski

Wendy Kimball

Tori Smith

ALICE MULVANYRetired Newburyport ElementaryTeacherAs a former teacher and mother I wasoverwhelmed an d shocked by the re-ports and the statistics that showed wewere losing our next generation of chil-dren to drugs.

Several of my former students werestruggling with this disease, now it’spersonal.

Teaching was a challenging, truly won-derful and rewarding profession. I sawthe world through the eyes of my chil-dren. I shared their sorrows, joys anddreams and their belief that they couldaccomplish anything.

Corey Ruane, my 4th grade student hadcompleted a long-term residential pro-gram and was sharing his story at anevent in Newburyport. His testimonialtouched my heart; the little boy with theendearing smile was now pursuing hisdreams surrounded by a loving familyand friends. I am so proud of him. Nowas I enter my 70’s, the teacher and thestudent have joined together to experi-ence life at it’s best.

How special is that?

COREY RUANERecovering addictI grew up in a normal middle class family in Newburyport Massachusetts. I first smoked weed in 8th grade due topeer pressure. Four years later, I hadbeen arrested 4 times for drinking/drugrelated incidents, but not a clue that Ihad an issue. Much of this was due tothe arrogance and ego of the typical 18-year-old student. I ended up gettinga DUI at the tail end of my senior year,causing me to attend my first AA meeting. This did not help, like I said Iwas an egotistical, arrogant know it all. Iwas convinced everyone was out to getme. A year later I tore my ACL playinghockey in college. I ended up being prescribed Percocet to manage the painafter surgery. This was the moment thatchanged my life forever.

Three years later, I had attempted to find sobriety 5 times in many differentforms, attended 10 detox programs, anddamaged many of the relationships inmy life. I had been living with my sisterwho could no longer sleep at night dueto the mental stress I had given her. Iwent into detoxe and finally chose a different path to sobriety, the TwelveSteps of Alcoholics Anonymous. Thisagain was a moment that changed mylife forever. I began understanding theissues that I had developed in my ado-lescence. I was able to rebuild damagedrelationships in a safe and structuredenvironment. I gained valuable friendsand role models that understood my issues, for they had dealt with the sameones. I found recovery and faith. Since then I began giving back to thecommunity by raising awareness andsharing my experience.

I am now back in college, working toward accomplishing the goals I lostalong the way. I feel truly blessed to bepart of this event and look forward tothe future.

DAVE GRABOWSKRecovering addictI grew up in West Newbury, Massachu-setts. Since I was about thirteen

years old I struggled with drug and alco-hol addiction. I started experimenting forfun but eventually they became my onlycoping mechanism for any struggle Ifaced big or small. After several arrests,hospital visits, car crashes, failed attemptsat sobriety, rehabs, and detoxesI realizedI was dependent but unable to stop. Asmy addiction progressed the sensationof peace I had once experienced becameincreasingly elusive until there was none.I wanted to be free from the insanity ofaddiction but had resigned myself to theidea my condition was a permanent one.

By the grace of God, I was blessed withpeople in my life, my fiancé, mom dad,and brother that didn’t give up on me. At the lowest point in my drug use, mymom and fiancé held an intervention forme. I reluctantly agreed to go into a program that would open a new chapterin my life. Entering this intensive, longterm, 12-step program I thought I kneweverything there was to know about recovery but I was sadly mistaken. I waslead through the twelve steps by menwho had experienced God workingthrough the process. I finally surren-dered to the fact that I was unable tomanage my life on drugs and wasforced to deal with all my fears, doubt,and insecurities. During my experiencein this program a change took place inside of me that I had been trying toachieve through substance abuse myentire life. Peace had found me. No matter how far gone you think a lovedone might be don’t lose hope because“God saves his toughest battles for hisstrongest warriors.”

OFFICER DANI SINCLAIRNewburyport Police DepartmentDani began her law enforcement career15 years ago, and has spearheaded theNewburyport Police Department’sSTOMPS program. STOMPS stands forSupport and Treatment for Opiate Mis-use and Prevention Strategies and walkins to the police station that are seriousabout treatment for their opiate addic-tion will receive the services that theyneed. Since its implementation in thebeginning of 2016, we have had 7 walkins come to the station looking for help.We have also been able to place othersinto rehab over the phone and puttingthem in touch with the right contacts.“When I first started this job, there wasno heroin crisis; but now it is all toocommon. I see the trail of devastation itleaves behind, and as a police officer, Ifeel it is my duty to do whatever I can tocombat every aspect of the issue”.

Learn more about our initiative on theFacebook Page – Newburyport policeSTOMPS program

OFFICER TORI SMITHNewburyport Police DepartmentTori began working with the Newbury-port Police Department as a civilian dispatcher in 2011 and worked her wayup to full time officer in 2015. She wasborn and raised in Amesbury and seenthe effects of the opiate crisis both onthe job and personally with the loss offriends.

"It makes me upset to see people, including friends and loved ones, ruintheir lives due to their dependency onthe opioid drug. I hope that by raisingawareness and providing the neededsupport for these individuals that we areable to help assist them in overcomingtheir opioid addiction."

WENDY KIMBALL Newburyport Fire DepartmentWendy has been a full time firefighter/EMT with the City of Newbury-port for the past 14 years. She wasborn and raised locally and obtained herbachelor’s degree in health and fire sci-ence. She jumped (pun intended) at theopportunity to bring awareness to thecause. “I witness opioid abuse on all levels withfriends, family, and community mem-bers. I want to help eliminate abuse anyway I can.”

We would like to share our stories with you