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Congressman Stephen Lynch and Quincy Mayor Tom Koch

We hosted our 3rd Annual Recovery Month Celebration on September 18th at the IBEW Hall in Dorchester.  Congressman Stephen Lynch presented the Gavin Foundation Recovery Community Impact Award to Quincy Mayor Thomas P. Koch for his support and dedication to addiction treatment and prevention. Mayor Koch is a true champion of the recovery community so the award was a very large (and heavy!) championship belt.

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Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders and Joanne Peterson, Learn to Cope Founder/Executive Director

Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders presented the Gavin Foundation Recovery Community Impact Award to honoree Joanne Peterson, Learn to Cope Founder/Executive Director, for her leadership and dedication in building support groups for countless families dealing with addiction. Joanne was presented with a map of the Commonwealth customized with pins designating the locations of Learn to Cope meetings around the state.

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Pictured left to right, State Senator John F. Keenan, Quincy Mayor Thomas P. Koch, Founder/Executive Director Learn to Cope Joanne Peterson, Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders, U.S. Congressman Stephen F. Lynch and Gavin Foundation Pres/CEO John P. McGahan.

The program also included remarks from Chuck Monahan of the IBEW Local 103, Fr. Joseph White of St. Joseph’s Church, Patrick Cronin, MOAR Program Coordinator, and John McGahan, President and CEO of the Gavin Foundation. Area Recovery organizations were represented at a dozen resource tables providing information for attendees. We finished the evening with a terrific concert by Grammy Nominee Tom Bell and Bellevue Cadillac. Thank you to all who participated, it was a terrific night.  Photos from the event can be found on our Facebook page.