Last Door 30th Anniversary Celebration - Breaking the Chains of Addiction

The Last Door Recovery Community, www.lastdoor.org, situated in New Westminister, BC held it’s truly spectacular 30th Anniversary Celebration and Family Program Fundraiser.  As we heard tonight, it began from truly humble beginnings with one addict helping another and one selling his motorcycle to pay for rent and food.  Today they’ve just invested 2 1/2 million dollars in further facilities and programs. I’ve always known them for the miraculous work they’ve done with men.
Several shared their stories tonight. Mostly they talked of the children and grandchildren they wouldn’t have known if they had continued with their addictions.  “How do you say thank you to someone for saving your life?” was a central theme.
Their youth program though is what I’m hearing more and more about. Also they’ve an alumni program with nearly 4000 people having been through their program. There’s the family program as well for all those touched by the addiction of loved ones.  It’s a recovery society that works. I think Dave Pavlus, Last Door Executive Director  (and  grandfather) summed it up by saying, “‘they’re not clients, they’re people”.
I loved being there.  I’d invited my friend Dr. George Chalmers (a grandfather) because we both knew Dr. Doug Coleman  who has spoken so highly of Last Door. George is also a wonderful raconteur.  I never tire of his stories and humorous observations.
Keri Adams, Host and Co Anchor of CTV Morning Live was a vivacious, very fetching and funny host.  Louise Cooksey, Last Door Director, (and grandmother) presented a wonderful story of addiction and recovery describing it in terms of stories, plot and best of all the ‘characters’.  She’s seen them all as they’ve come in broken and sad to leave Last Door restored and hopeful.  Last Door alumni shared their stories briefly between the most amazing musical performances. I most loved Dennis, Megan, and Karly singing Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah.  The room was awed.  Donny Ducharme, having played before tens of thousands spoke of his joy playing for the Last Door.  His original song has a chorus of returning to the Door and talking to Dave after the party was over. We all sung along.  David Pavlus, the director, shared the most heartwarming story of the growth and wonder of Last Door Recovery.  It’s such a heart story. He cried. We cried. But then we laughed and laughed
Celebrate or Suffer, is the Last Door Motto..