Monday, August 11, 2008
Monday, July 21, 2008
update
We should have updated long ago ! Breaking the Chains was an amazing event!! God really moved!!
We were initially surprised at how few youth groups were in attendance, c0mpared to the number that had confirmed. However, the recovery community was out in abundance and for that we are grateful.
Over 200 people were counted!!! Over 50 people went up for prayer!!!!!
To this day we are still encountering people who were in attendance and are now coming for help, to overcome addiction. We couldn't have dreamed of a better response.
If you found this page because you are struggling with drugs and or alcohol, please comment, email or call us.
There is HOPE!!!! There is VICTORY waiting for YOU!
We were initially surprised at how few youth groups were in attendance, c0mpared to the number that had confirmed. However, the recovery community was out in abundance and for that we are grateful.
Over 200 people were counted!!! Over 50 people went up for prayer!!!!!
To this day we are still encountering people who were in attendance and are now coming for help, to overcome addiction. We couldn't have dreamed of a better response.
If you found this page because you are struggling with drugs and or alcohol, please comment, email or call us.
There is HOPE!!!! There is VICTORY waiting for YOU!
Monday, March 31, 2008
addiction awareness
Thank you for visiting the blog for "Breaking the Chains", an event to increase awareness about addiction.
My husband and I are organizing this event with the support of Ray Desmarais and Jericho Road Christian Ministries. We recognize that many, if not most, of the people we hope to attract with this free event will not be struggling with addiction. However, almost everyone I talk to knows someone struggling with an addiction of some sort (alcohol, drugs, pornography, food, the list goes on...).
Drugs and alcohol are so prevelent in our high schools and even junior high schools, we must inform our kids. Our speaker, Alvin Powell is just the man for that. Based in Montreal, Alvin has been invited to speak at many local Ottawa schools; Lisgar, St. Pete's, Centennial, St. Paul's and many more.
Alvin has an onstage presence that captivates the entire audience. We've witnessed an auditorium of 1500 students motionless for the duration of his presentation. No one even left to go to the bathroom, as is so common during school assemblies. That's when we knew we had to bring Alvin back to Ottawa for an event open to everyone, not just a particular school.
Details about the event are on the left side bar. Scroll down for more information about the speaker (Alvin Powell), the organizer (Jon Ruby) and the band (5 Minute Window).
Professionally printed posters and rave cards are also available to post at your location.
Thanks for stopping by!
My husband and I are organizing this event with the support of Ray Desmarais and Jericho Road Christian Ministries. We recognize that many, if not most, of the people we hope to attract with this free event will not be struggling with addiction. However, almost everyone I talk to knows someone struggling with an addiction of some sort (alcohol, drugs, pornography, food, the list goes on...).
Drugs and alcohol are so prevelent in our high schools and even junior high schools, we must inform our kids. Our speaker, Alvin Powell is just the man for that. Based in Montreal, Alvin has been invited to speak at many local Ottawa schools; Lisgar, St. Pete's, Centennial, St. Paul's and many more.
Alvin has an onstage presence that captivates the entire audience. We've witnessed an auditorium of 1500 students motionless for the duration of his presentation. No one even left to go to the bathroom, as is so common during school assemblies. That's when we knew we had to bring Alvin back to Ottawa for an event open to everyone, not just a particular school.
Details about the event are on the left side bar. Scroll down for more information about the speaker (Alvin Powell), the organizer (Jon Ruby) and the band (5 Minute Window).
Professionally printed posters and rave cards are also available to post at your location.
Thanks for stopping by!
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
feedback
On Good Friday we were at No Other Name '08 . No Other Name was attended by over 400 youth ages 12-18. Jon had been invited to give a workshop on the effects of drugs and alcohol in his life. We were also invited to have a booth to promote the Breaking the Chains event.
Response from Youth Leaders, parents and the youth themselves was amazing! I spoke with a lot of people and every single one of them said how badly something like this is needed in our city. Everyone that I talked to either a) knows someone struggling with drugs or alcohol b) is struggling with drugs or alcohol, or c) has struggled with drugs or alcohol in the past.
I sat in on Jon's first workshop. I could tell he was a little nervous, first time speaking to kids about his experience. The room was packed, kids were sitting on the floor and they just kept coming in. Jon spoke about how he got started drinking, how it led to drugs, the extent he went to eventually to get drugs and how he got sobor. My completely unbiased opinion was that he did an absolutely amazing job! Fortunately, we did get a lot of positive unbiased feedback also.
I think what struck me the most was that we were once them. It doesn't feel like very long ago, we were just kids laughing and giggling about drinking and how much fun it was. That changed for us, and it will change for many of those kids too.
Of course, all those kids won't become alcoholics/drug addicts. I'm not. I don't know what the statistics are, but if even one of those kids has the gene or the predisposition to addiction, I think it's good that they hear about the reality now.
I wasn't in the 2nd workshop, but a couple kids were high and one passed out. Jon just patted him on the head and said "you're in the right place, buddy".
All in all, it was an amazing experience and I'm even more stoked for the event in May!
-Vikki
Response from Youth Leaders, parents and the youth themselves was amazing! I spoke with a lot of people and every single one of them said how badly something like this is needed in our city. Everyone that I talked to either a) knows someone struggling with drugs or alcohol b) is struggling with drugs or alcohol, or c) has struggled with drugs or alcohol in the past.
I sat in on Jon's first workshop. I could tell he was a little nervous, first time speaking to kids about his experience. The room was packed, kids were sitting on the floor and they just kept coming in. Jon spoke about how he got started drinking, how it led to drugs, the extent he went to eventually to get drugs and how he got sobor. My completely unbiased opinion was that he did an absolutely amazing job! Fortunately, we did get a lot of positive unbiased feedback also.
I think what struck me the most was that we were once them. It doesn't feel like very long ago, we were just kids laughing and giggling about drinking and how much fun it was. That changed for us, and it will change for many of those kids too.
Of course, all those kids won't become alcoholics/drug addicts. I'm not. I don't know what the statistics are, but if even one of those kids has the gene or the predisposition to addiction, I think it's good that they hear about the reality now.
I wasn't in the 2nd workshop, but a couple kids were high and one passed out. Jon just patted him on the head and said "you're in the right place, buddy".
All in all, it was an amazing experience and I'm even more stoked for the event in May!
-Vikki
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
EVENT ORGANIZER
Event organizer Jon Ruby was raised in a Christian home by loving parents. But this 'good Christian kid' turned to a life of drugs, alcohol and crime. Only when he ran out of options did he submit his life to God and allow those chains to be broken.
Jon now works for Jericho Road Christian Ministries and dedicates his time to helping others find their recovery.
The idea for an event to raise awareness about addiction came to Jon last year. The main purpose being to reach youth, youth leaders and parents, but also anyone who's life has been affected by addiction.
DRUGS, ALCOHOLISM and ADDICTION are still taboo words in our society. But the odds of someone in your life being affected are very high.
Get informed.
Jon now works for Jericho Road Christian Ministries and dedicates his time to helping others find their recovery.
The idea for an event to raise awareness about addiction came to Jon last year. The main purpose being to reach youth, youth leaders and parents, but also anyone who's life has been affected by addiction.
DRUGS, ALCOHOLISM and ADDICTION are still taboo words in our society. But the odds of someone in your life being affected are very high.
Get informed.
THE SPEAKER
Guest Speaker Alvin Powell is a former NFL offensive
lineman for the Miami Dolphins and the Seattle Seahawks. At 6-foot-5, 320-pounds, he was an imposing figure on the football field. Alvin fell pray to the disease of addiction and is now recovered. He has turned his life around and is working helping others quit their habit and to prevent young people from ever starting.
He has visited hundreds of high schools, universities, sports associations and corporations. In his visits, he tells his compelling life story of how drugs ruined his NFL career, his life, and brought him to the brink of death. Alvin started using cocaine in 1985 in his second pro year. By 1988, he was "a full-blown crack cocaine addict", drinking and smoking pot as well. From there his life "went into a tailspin." Unable to control his romance with drugs he resigned from the Miami Dolphins.
At his worst, Powell says, he was living in a church and spending his time "looking for deals to get money to buy cocaine. "I was an embarrassment to my family and friends. I couldn't die quick enough. But God had another plan," he says.
Powell has dedicated the past 10 years to the prevention of drug and substance abuse, as well as helping those in crises who are suffering from the decease of addiction. Drugs do not care who you are he says. They do not discriminate against color, creed, race, size, economic background or even age. Powell notes that his youngest client is 10 years old and his oldest is 63.
THE BAND
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