On Wednesday, June 7, under beautiful sunny skies, more than 60 members of the St. Andrews Auxiliary gathered at Newagen Seaside Inn on Southport Island to celebrate another successful year of giving. The focus of this annual luncheon is to acknowledge the many members who contribute to the well being of this community through dedicated volunteerism.

Following opening remarks, President Carol Ostermann introduced Cindy Wade, executive vice president and COO of LincolnHealth, who provided an update of the various services now available on the Boothbay peninsula through LincolnHealth -- services that include wound care, infusion therapy, physical therapy, urgent care, the Coulombe Center for Health Improvement which is working to meet the challenges facing our local youth, and skilled rehab at the Zimmerli Pavilion, a state of the art facility that opened just one year ago on the St. Andrews Village campus.

Many of the local LH programs have benefited from Auxiliary contributions, both financial and through "hands on" volunteer involvement. Piet Harris, Service Records chair, and Carole Zalucky, Volunteer coordinator, took a few minutes to recognize and thank all those among the membership who volunteer their time and energy at the St. Andrews Thrift Shop, on the St. Andrews campus, within the various units of St. Andrews Village or in other administrative capacities. In all, over 80 Auxiliary volunteers performed a total of 9,882 hours of service from April 4, 2016 through March 31, 2017, which represents an increase over the previous year of more than 500 hours.

After a delightful lunch served family style, the group again directed its attention to the podium where guest speaker, Holly Stover, representing the Addiction Outreach Program, talked about the serious work being done in this community to combat the opiate abuse crisis. She opened with the chilling statistic that in Maine more than one person per day died from a drug overdose for every day of 2016.

Ms. Stover, who is connected to the outreach program through BRCRC (Boothbay Region Community Resource Council), works closely with local law enforcement and the medical community as an addiction outreach specialist to bring hope to those who have fallen into a situation from which recovery is a very steep climb. Addiction touches every economic, social and cultural stratum as its roots are often found in the once ready availability of pain management drugs prescribed for sports injuries, surgical recovery and other medical maladies.

Opiate addiction carries with it a difficult withdrawal process that may require the intervention of law enforcement, medical assistance and careful and consistent follow up support once a person has made the decision to seek help. It can take a year or more of coordinated services to get to true recovery and costly doctor appointments and supervised medical regimens are out of reach for those with no income source and no insurance. The outreach program coordinates with Care Partners, a collaboration through Maine Health, of its member organizations that provide coverage for doctor visits, lab work, emergency services, meds and even surgery to keep recovery on track until the individual can regain their footing in society. To reach that end point, however, an individual also requires assistance in finding and sustaining meaningful employment and securing a safe and healthful living environment. Stover works with community leaders and organizations to break down barriers and open possibilities for clients reentering the community. She encouraged all present to embrace this very specific population because they are a part of us and finding ways to include them in our lives will aid in their recovery.

Before bringing the event to closure, all new and honorary members of the Auxiliary were introduced by Membership chair, De Amplo, who presented each with a live pot of herbs. In keeping with our luncheon theme of "Healthy Living," Ann Kelly, Special Events chair, coordinated the baskets of fruit and vegetables that served as centerpieces for the event. All of the produce was later donated to our local Food Pantry.

If you are interested in joining the St. Andrews Auxiliary, contact De Amplo at seawood98@aol.com. If you would like to explore the idea of volunteering in some capacity at The Village or at the Thrift Store, contact Carole Zalucky at czalucky@gmail.com. We are currently in need of cashiers for Wednesday mornings and Thursday afternoons.