10th Annual Swimming Upstream Awards April 18, 2013

The Swimming Upstream Awards honor members of the community who go against the current, working to change how Gallatin County “shows up” around the misuse and abuse of alcohol and other drugs. The award ceremony is Thursday, April 18th at 6:30 PM in the community room on the third floor of the County Courthouse building, located at the corner of West Main and 3rd Street. It lasts about two hours. Enjoy light snacks, good company, and a slide show of past winners.

This year’s speakers include District Court Judge Mike Salvagni; Belgrade Municipal Court Judge Michele Snowberger; Bozeman City Prosecutor Susan Wordal; Director of Alcohol and Drug Services, Shelly Johnson, and Jenna Caplette, Coordinator of the Gallatin County DUI Task Force. Awardees include Leo McCarthy of Butte’s Mariah Daye McCarthy Scholarship Foundation and Governor Steve Bullock. As Attorney General, Bullock introduced the 24/7 Sobriety Program for repeat DUI offenders statewide.

Award categories include: those who work to provide the “wake up call” of criminal justice sanctions and those who help keep us all safe from impaired drivers; those who educate the community members about the potential health risks of the misuse of alcohol and other drugs and those who advocate for treatment, healing and recovery rather than or in addition to other sanctions. It includes community members who address the root problems of society that can lead people to abuse alcohol and other drugs; those who provide positive mentoring and modeling alternatives to substance abuse and misuse; those who offer their support to people in recovery for alcoholism and drug addiction; and those who provide community alcohol-free social and recreational opportunities.

Space is limited, so please r.s.v.p. for the event to Ken Spencer, Alcohol & Drug Services of Gallatin County (ADSGC) at 586-5908. The awards are funded by the Gallatin County DUI Task Force and sponsored in conjunction with ADGSC. By the end of the evening, attendees are often astonished and moved by the diversity of work being done in our county (and state) around these important issues.

Official Website: http://www.gallatin.mt.gov/Public_Documents/gallatincomt_dui/Swimming%20Upstream%20Awards