Music and Food: Tools for Addiction Recovery in West Virginia
West Virginia's struggle with Substance Use Disorder is no secret. The state sadly leads the nation in fatal overdose rates.
Grasping the root causes of the drug addiction issues West Virginia has faced over the last several decades would require sifting through numerous objective documentaries, full-length books, and engaging in in-depth interviews with experts, doctors and informed community members.
This blog, however, veers away from focusing on the nefarious practices of Purdue Pharma and their disgusting strategy to overprescribe opioids for corporate gain. Which by the way, I believe a direct line can be drawn from their actions straight to West Virginians resorting to dangerous and deadly street drugs like heroin, meth, and more recently, fentanyl.
Instead, I wish to highlight the community-centric endeavors undertaken by compassionate West Virginians to assist their fellow Mountaineers on the path to healing.
The soothing essence of music and the comforting allure of food have become tools in driving awareness and resources towards addiction recovery efforts in West Virginia.
A month ago, our team at Mountaineer Media had the privilege of spending time in Lewisburg, West Virginia, during the Healing Appalachia event. This three-day benefit concert generates millions of dollars in economic impact but also provides substantial support to addiction recovery programs, all while offering a world-class concert series for individuals to bond over.
Picture Left to right: Cooper Simmerman, Charles Wesley Godwin, and CJ Harvey.
CWG is a Morgantown native who is well on his way to becoming a nationally known country music star. On stage, he shared how he missed a flight and had to rent a Uhaul and drive from Tennessee to make his performance on Thursday, Sept 21st. He mentioned how important the Healing Appalachia’s cause was and there was never a chance he wasn’t going to make it for his fellow Mountaineers.
In a recent podcast episode, we were honored to host Cheryl Laws, the forward-thinking Founder of Pollen8. Her steadfast commitment to empowering women in West Virginia is manifested through various initiatives, such as the Appalachian Behavioral Healthcare Center and innovative social enterprises like Cafe Appalachia.
All of Pollen8's programs and social enterprises converge towards a singular goal - to help families, particularly those with children, break free from the vicious cycle of addiction and blossom into healthy members of our community.
Find our podcast with Cheryl here: Episode 133 of the Mountaineer Media Podcast
Longtime Mountaineer Media fans will also recall the powerful story and work that Tammy Jordan does through her social enterprise, Fruits of Labor. Fruits of Labor, an organization that serves farm-to-table food in their cafes around WV as well as employs and supports people in recovery from substance use disorder. Through their nationally certified Culinary and Agricultural Training Center, they are able to train and work alongside communities and neighbors who are rebuilding their lives.
As I write this blog, I am filled with hope.
My hope blooms from witnessing everyday West Virginians, even those untouched by addiction issues, rise to support their fellow Mountaineers who have been affected.
And the synergy between music and food seems almost serendipitous. Humans have cherished these mediums of connection for centuries, and now, we harness them to tackle one of humanity’s gravest challenges yet.