A new organization has been added to the list of many that populate UW-La Crosse; however, the organization spreads all throughout the city of La Crosse to all three college campuses: UW-L, Viterbo and Western Tech. The La Crosse Collegiate Recovery Program, technically established last year, though it is this year that student involvement has begun, is available to those who suffer from any kind of substance abuse. “The short term goal (of the program) is to bring a whole bunch of peers together: people who are in recovery, allies of recovery and people with family members in recovery,” Tim Good, a Recovery Intern who helped get the Collegiate Recovery Program going, stated. “We want to remove any negative stigma that the community has,” he added. Good came across the job and started up the program, as he had dealt with his own problems with alcohol addiction in his freshman year. However, in the spring of that same year, he realized that he didn’t want to continue his life that way. He happened upon the job after speaking with Jason Bertrand, who was the Wellness Coordinator on campus, and he said a spot had just opened up for an intern. It became an option for Good to bring others on the path of recovery that he had taken himself in freshman year.

Another goal of theirs at the time is to find a meeting space that is located off-campus so it is not exclusively for UW-L students, but the students attending the other colleges around La Crosse as well.

“A very long term goal of ours is to get a space between all three campuses for people in recovery. Maybe a residence hall, or even a house for those in recovery, once we get enough community support,” said Good, saying this place would also be where the group could plan events for weekends, which they often already do, that provide sober options for those who don’t want to be around triggers while in recovery.

“In the community, too often there’s nothing else to do but drink,” Good mentioned.

For example, during the end of September, when Oktoberfest was being celebrated, the Recovery Program was posting sober options to participate in that still got people out having fun over the weekend. Other events the group advertises are things such as the recent showing of the film “The Anonymous People” that was sponsored by the Recovery Program, as well as “Rise Together,” which took place back in September. Their Facebook page not only features events, but other news as well as inspiring messages and stories of others suffering with substance abuse.

So far, Good would consider the group a success. There are a few people coming to regular meetings, and he is optimistic for the future

At the moment, the Recovery Program meets on Mondays, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. at the Coulee Region Council on Addiction. All are welcome.