Page 3 - June 24, 2019
P. 3
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR
PAGE 4 MONDAY JUNE 17, 2019
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR MONDAY JUNE 24, 2019 PAGE 3
Mother shares story of child's addiction during LAWIR presentation
by Deanna Mitchener
During the Living And Working In Recovery
(LAWIR) presentation that was held at the Pine
Grove Middle School on June 13, a mother shared
her story about their own child being caught up in
addictions and the strain it put on their whole
family.
Lynne Legge, now a board member for LAWIR,
said, “I come from a long line of addictions. Both
my parents were addicts and alcoholics who also
had mental health issues, which almost always
accompany addiction. Both died very young as a
result of their addictions."
"Even though I was raised in the chaos that
always accompanies addiction, there was a time in
my life when, I am not proud to say, I was very
judgemental of those caught up in the cycle. I
imagined that everyone who was an addict or
alcoholic was somehow less. I believed that they Lynne Legge shared a very emotional time in her life during the Living And Working In Recovery
were all dirty, often homeless, shells of human presentation held at Pine Grove Middle School on June 13. photo Deanna Mitchener.
beings that did not deserve my time or my
attention. I very strongly believed that if they really children became caught up in addiction. I did not, friends no longer came around. We heard the
wanted to they would just stop drinking and using. could not (and to begin with) would not understand rumours, the ugly whispers about not only our
I believed that they were all liars, thieves, and how this had happened as our child came from a much-loved child, but about ourselves. We must,
cheats. I believed that if they loved their families or solid home life. This child was loved and is loved according to the rumours, be hiding something
people in their lives enough, they would just stop,” beyond measure. This child's father and I have been from the world, our life could not have been as
said Legge. married for 40 years. We were the parents who good as it appeared. We must be secretly drinking
“I know now that I could not have been more went to the sporting events, coached minor sports at home, fighting, or maybe even abusing our
wrong!" said Legge. teams, led the Girl Guide and Boy Scout troops, we children because, after all, kids from good homes
were involved in their education, we spent quality don't end up drinking and using drugs —right! Well
"I now know that although there are those that family time, we went to church. There were I am here to tell you how very wrong that is. None
resort to criminal behaviour to support their summer camping trips and family vacations. We of those negative statements were true and yet here
addiction, they hurt no one worse than they hurt did not drink or use drugs, we did not fight, yell or we were,” said Legge.
themselves. I also now know that people who find scream. We did not treat each other with disrespect,
their way into recovery are some of the most and yet suddenly we found ourselves thrown into “One of the hardest parts of our journey was
selfless and grateful people I will ever have the the world of addiction,” said Legge. discovering how little help we could find for our
good fortune of meeting. I found a quote online that child in our hometown of Edson. Our child's
says it so very well: "There is no person walking “We watched our once bright cheerful child turn addictions and mental health issues were beyond
the face of the earth who demonstrates more into someone we did not know. We then began to what we could deal with at home. We were terrified
courage, dignity, honesty and integrity on a daily fight, yell, scream and cry. We found ourselves to send this child away to get better, but we had no
basis than an addict in recovery'" said Legge. thrown into a world we wanted no part of. A world choice. There was nowhere here that could help.
How devastating that was, we did not want to
that left our heads spinning and our hearts broken.
PASSPORT PHOTOS & MORE “I began to see the truth when one of my own We found that many people we thought were throw our child away, yet that is exactly what we
felt we were doing. We were helpless," said Legge.
Living And Working In Recovery presentation "Had there been a facility such as LAWIR here in
Professional Digital Edson at that time maybe we could have saved
some of the pain. Maybe we could have spared not
Passport System only our child, but ourselves, that loneliness that is
photos ready always a part of addiction because we would not
have had to be separated. And most importantly,
in minutes there would have been somewhere to turn. We
could have turned to people who truly understood
while you wait... what we were facing and how broken our family
had become. There would have been somewhere to
go where we felt loved and accepted rather than
T judged and ostracized,” said Legge.
The Weekly Anchorhe Weekly Anchor
"I know that you are all here because you are, at
5040 3rd Avenue, Edson least on some level, interested in learning more
5040 3rd Avenue, Edson
about LAWIR. I am sure there are those sitting here
thinking 'well that's a sad story but this would never
780-723-5787
DROP IN AND SEE!ROP IN AND SEE! 780-723-5787 happen in my world'. Never say never: it can
D
happen," Legge concluded.
Summers Drilling
Summers Drilling
Water Well Drilling
Duane Martin founder of (LAWIR) Living And Working In Recovery on June 13 speaking to area Water Well Drilling
residents at the Pine Grove Middle School. photo Deanna Mitchener
continued from page 2 BILL MITCHELL A proud Alberta business, since 1917,
A proud Alberta business, since 1917,
Summers Drilling specializes in water well
Guest speakers shared their stories of recovery NEW TRUCK SALES Summers Drilling specializes in water well
and their struggles with one speaker who grew up NORTH drilling and water well repairs.
drilling and water well repairs.
in Edson even travelling from Edmonton to speak.
Listening to these personal stories of struggles and
successes set a clear vision of the community's Western Star Trucks (North) Ltd.
need for the program. 24210 114 Avenue
After presentations were completed the floor was Acheson, AB T7X 6B9
opened up for questions and responses.
For more information on LAWIR, to make a Website:
donation, or to hire a worker you can phone Duane www.wsnorth.com
Martin at 780-517-4405 or Tammy Flanders at 780-
780-963-1282
517-7171; email contact@lawirliving.com. You can 4405 50 str 780-963-1282
4405 50 streeteet
www
check out their website by going to Toll Free 1-800-252-7500 Cell: 780-984-2224 Stony Plain, AB www.summersdrilling.com.summersdrilling.com
Stony Plain, AB
www.lawirliving.com Phone: 780-453,3452 Fax: 780-447-5317
PAGE 4 MONDAY JUNE 17, 2019
THE WEEKLY ANCHOR MONDAY JUNE 24, 2019 PAGE 3
Mother shares story of child's addiction during LAWIR presentation
by Deanna Mitchener
During the Living And Working In Recovery
(LAWIR) presentation that was held at the Pine
Grove Middle School on June 13, a mother shared
her story about their own child being caught up in
addictions and the strain it put on their whole
family.
Lynne Legge, now a board member for LAWIR,
said, “I come from a long line of addictions. Both
my parents were addicts and alcoholics who also
had mental health issues, which almost always
accompany addiction. Both died very young as a
result of their addictions."
"Even though I was raised in the chaos that
always accompanies addiction, there was a time in
my life when, I am not proud to say, I was very
judgemental of those caught up in the cycle. I
imagined that everyone who was an addict or
alcoholic was somehow less. I believed that they Lynne Legge shared a very emotional time in her life during the Living And Working In Recovery
were all dirty, often homeless, shells of human presentation held at Pine Grove Middle School on June 13. photo Deanna Mitchener.
beings that did not deserve my time or my
attention. I very strongly believed that if they really children became caught up in addiction. I did not, friends no longer came around. We heard the
wanted to they would just stop drinking and using. could not (and to begin with) would not understand rumours, the ugly whispers about not only our
I believed that they were all liars, thieves, and how this had happened as our child came from a much-loved child, but about ourselves. We must,
cheats. I believed that if they loved their families or solid home life. This child was loved and is loved according to the rumours, be hiding something
people in their lives enough, they would just stop,” beyond measure. This child's father and I have been from the world, our life could not have been as
said Legge. married for 40 years. We were the parents who good as it appeared. We must be secretly drinking
“I know now that I could not have been more went to the sporting events, coached minor sports at home, fighting, or maybe even abusing our
wrong!" said Legge. teams, led the Girl Guide and Boy Scout troops, we children because, after all, kids from good homes
were involved in their education, we spent quality don't end up drinking and using drugs —right! Well
"I now know that although there are those that family time, we went to church. There were I am here to tell you how very wrong that is. None
resort to criminal behaviour to support their summer camping trips and family vacations. We of those negative statements were true and yet here
addiction, they hurt no one worse than they hurt did not drink or use drugs, we did not fight, yell or we were,” said Legge.
themselves. I also now know that people who find scream. We did not treat each other with disrespect,
their way into recovery are some of the most and yet suddenly we found ourselves thrown into “One of the hardest parts of our journey was
selfless and grateful people I will ever have the the world of addiction,” said Legge. discovering how little help we could find for our
good fortune of meeting. I found a quote online that child in our hometown of Edson. Our child's
says it so very well: "There is no person walking “We watched our once bright cheerful child turn addictions and mental health issues were beyond
the face of the earth who demonstrates more into someone we did not know. We then began to what we could deal with at home. We were terrified
courage, dignity, honesty and integrity on a daily fight, yell, scream and cry. We found ourselves to send this child away to get better, but we had no
basis than an addict in recovery'" said Legge. thrown into a world we wanted no part of. A world choice. There was nowhere here that could help.
How devastating that was, we did not want to
that left our heads spinning and our hearts broken.
PASSPORT PHOTOS & MORE “I began to see the truth when one of my own We found that many people we thought were throw our child away, yet that is exactly what we
felt we were doing. We were helpless," said Legge.
Living And Working In Recovery presentation "Had there been a facility such as LAWIR here in
Professional Digital Edson at that time maybe we could have saved
some of the pain. Maybe we could have spared not
Passport System only our child, but ourselves, that loneliness that is
photos ready always a part of addiction because we would not
have had to be separated. And most importantly,
in minutes there would have been somewhere to turn. We
could have turned to people who truly understood
while you wait... what we were facing and how broken our family
had become. There would have been somewhere to
go where we felt loved and accepted rather than
T judged and ostracized,” said Legge.
The Weekly Anchorhe Weekly Anchor
"I know that you are all here because you are, at
5040 3rd Avenue, Edson least on some level, interested in learning more
5040 3rd Avenue, Edson
about LAWIR. I am sure there are those sitting here
thinking 'well that's a sad story but this would never
780-723-5787
DROP IN AND SEE!ROP IN AND SEE! 780-723-5787 happen in my world'. Never say never: it can
D
happen," Legge concluded.
Summers Drilling
Summers Drilling
Water Well Drilling
Duane Martin founder of (LAWIR) Living And Working In Recovery on June 13 speaking to area Water Well Drilling
residents at the Pine Grove Middle School. photo Deanna Mitchener
continued from page 2 BILL MITCHELL A proud Alberta business, since 1917,
A proud Alberta business, since 1917,
Summers Drilling specializes in water well
Guest speakers shared their stories of recovery NEW TRUCK SALES Summers Drilling specializes in water well
and their struggles with one speaker who grew up NORTH drilling and water well repairs.
drilling and water well repairs.
in Edson even travelling from Edmonton to speak.
Listening to these personal stories of struggles and
successes set a clear vision of the community's Western Star Trucks (North) Ltd.
need for the program. 24210 114 Avenue
After presentations were completed the floor was Acheson, AB T7X 6B9
opened up for questions and responses.
For more information on LAWIR, to make a Website:
donation, or to hire a worker you can phone Duane www.wsnorth.com
Martin at 780-517-4405 or Tammy Flanders at 780-
780-963-1282
517-7171; email contact@lawirliving.com. You can 4405 50 str 780-963-1282
4405 50 streeteet
www
check out their website by going to Toll Free 1-800-252-7500 Cell: 780-984-2224 Stony Plain, AB www.summersdrilling.com.summersdrilling.com
Stony Plain, AB
www.lawirliving.com Phone: 780-453,3452 Fax: 780-447-5317
