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4th Annual Client Graduation & Recognition Ceremony
Our 4th Annual Client Graduation & Recognition Ceremony was held April 28th, 2009 at the Hunterdon County Administration Complex on Rt. 12.
This program was made to honor the graduates of HDAP's Outpatient and Intensive Outpatient Treatment Programs. This is certainly not
an easy accomplishment as clients must remain sober after successfully completing treatment. These clients also made positive life changes in many other areas of their lives such as
education, work, social relations, family relations, and a dramatic reduction of recidivism in the legal system. PLEASE NOTE: Current and former HDAP clients are not pictured due to reasons of confidentiality.
Each graduate was awarded a graduation certificate, along with a small token of HDAP's appreciation. Each graduate was asked to speak, and all spoke eloquently of their struggles with
addiction, and their own personal road back in their recovery process. These speeches were moving and funny; bringing both tears and laughter to the crowd of over 90 people in attendance. Their inspired speeches
brought home what our job at HDAP is all about, helping productive members of the greater Hunterdon County community get back on their feet and take back their lives.
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Frank P. Masterson, Jr. Award
In addition the 4th Annual Client Graduation & Recognition Ceremony honored Hunterdon County Drug Probation Officer Sandra Andrade with the Frank P. Masterson Jr. Award.
This award is aimed at highlighting people helping the addiction community, who show great leadership, and more importantly a strong sense of caring and commitment to the clients HDAP serves. This award is entitled the
Frank P. Masterson, Jr. Recognition of Achievement Award. From 1970 - 1977 twelve young people’s lives were lost in Lambertville due to drug related deaths. Frank helped to found
Hunterdon Drug Awareness Program in 1977 after a small group of concerned community leaders felt there was a need for a substance abuse program in the Lambertville area. Frank has served on
the HDAP's Board of Directors from 1977 until January 2009 as Vice President of the Board. In January, 2009 he was named Founder Emeritus. A large program based out of Atlantic City called Narco (name now changed
to Institute for Human Development) sponsored Frank and the other community leader's idea and gave the program a small grant to help in treating Hunterdon County Residents. The first office opened in Lambertville
in 1977 and as services expanded, so did area support and interest. In 1981 we were incorporated as an independent treatment and prevention agency serving Hunterdon County and surrounding
areas under a local Board of Directors. In 1984, having outgrown our original office space, we moved to our current location. Frank passed away on February 8th, 2009. His passing occured shortly after
being honored as HDAP's first and only Founder Emeritus on our board of directors. Frank's vision and commitment to helping those in need of substance abuse services has taken the form of a program providing 32
years of substance abuse treatment and prevention services. Frank's legacy of community involvement and his commitment to help others lives on in the daily work HDAP provides to the Hunterdon County community.
We are saddened that he is gone, but grateful for what he accomplished.
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Sandra Andrade
Sandra Andrade was the 2009 recepient of the Frank P. Masterson Jr. award. This award was given to Ms. Andrade for her continued work in the substance
abuse field, monitoring, advocating for, and helping those clients involved within the drug court system. Ms. Andrade is a diligent probation officer in working with and for the clients she serves.
Born and raised into poverty in Columbia, Sandra came to the United States at the age of 10. She faced overcoming cultural displacement, new language challenges, and had to start to contribute to the economics of a single parent
household. After graduating High School, she became a Certified Substitute teacher in New Jersey teaching in Morris County elementary schools while achieving her Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and Sociology at William
Paterson University. While attending the University she conducted her internship with the Morris County Probation Division working with a Sex Offenders caseload. Two months after graduation, she was hired as the Hunterdon
County Drug Court Probation Officer. We asked Sandra to give us a quote on how she envisions the work she does:
“I love my job. Something new happens everyday and I too learn new lessons on a daily basis. I meet with people that were once considered high risk. I soon learned I was meeting people with many great qualities that
need an opportunity to change their life around, the same opportunity I was given once. Today I feel I can reach back to help those that are still struggling to make it as far or beyond what I have.”
In addition to the Frank P. Masterson Jr. Award, Ms. Andrade was recognized by the Honorable
Senator Marcia Karrow, with a NJ State Senate proclamation honoring Ms. Andrade's accomplishments. Senator Karrow presented Ms. Andrade with the NJ Proclamation. Also present amongst the family, friends and community partners were three of the Hunterdon County Freeholders: Matthew
J. Holt, Erik C. Peterson, and Ronald M. Sworen. Congressman Senator Lance was unable to attend, but was represented by his district director Jeanne Ashmore. Pamela Pontrelli, Administator for the Department of Human Services for Hunterdon County,
and Linda Stampoulos, Hunterdon County Alcohol and Drug Coordinator were also in attendance.
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Graduates and Guest of Honor Speeches
This years ceremony saw a growth in the numbers that we had last year. Over 90 graduates, family
members, friends, graduate alumni, probation officials, sponsors, Hunterdon County administrators, Hunterdon County Freeholders, Senator Karrow, and HDAP staff and board members were in attendance this year
(up from 80 in 2008, 60 in 2007, and 20 in 2006). This year followed last year's foundation of the graduation event, in that all graduates were asked to speak, and did so with moving speeches about
the impact addiction had on their lives and the significant changes they have made. Their powerful speeches showcased the impact addiction can have, captured the struggles they went through, and sometimes continue to overcome,
and also showcased the power of their recovery from addiction! To underscore the emotion of turning their lives around and overcoming their struggles, some members had difficulty speaking without becoming emotional. Sometimes it is hard
to put into words the difficulty one has in the recovery process, or how much the successful completion of this program means to them, so we'll let the words of one of our 2009 graduates summarize what it means for her. She stated
"this graduation certificate was harder to acheive, and means more to me, than my High School diploma." HDAP staff and board would like to extend our
sincere thanks to the graduates and their support network. Recovery from substance abuse/dependence is not an easy task for anybody. However, it is
the support of significant people in one's life that helps the recovery process become more successful. Personal growth and the restoration of significant
relationships are two keys to addiction recovery being successful and to its longevity ... and they were again key themes in this years graduation ceremony.
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Alumni Committee & Staff Speeches
In February 2009, our Alumni Committee. This committee worked very hard on the ceremony, and Melissa D. came up with the theme "The Road to Recovery is Always Under Construction."
Jim R. of the Alumni Committe spoke at the ceremony letting people know about the committee and its mission to: 1) help enhance the treatment and prevention services at HDAP; 2) help with events such as the Graduation Ceremony; and 3) to
help with fundraising, when possible, for HDAP. The board and staff of HDAP is grateful for the full involvement of our Alumni Committee in helping to make this year's event so successful. Our Prevention Director Mary Hanley provide the creative ambiance
by making drug/alcohol related road signs to accentuate this year's theme. Clinical Director Jass Pelland and Executive Director
Glenn Duncan both spoke at the ceremony. Glenn, Jass, and clinician Mark Hodkinson introduced each graduate by telling about some of their struggles and success when each graduate was handed their certificate. A great spread was again
provided by Buddy's Grab 'N Go on Main Street in Flemington. Our Office Manager Cindi McCormack provided home made buffalo wings that were gone by the end of the ceremony. We are grateful for all our staff and grateful to all those
who put in the work needed to make this year's ceremony a great event. Below are members of the graduation committee, alumni committee, and other HDAP staff members who made significant contributions that helped make this ceremony
such a successful event. I would like to thank all of the HDAP staff for their help and their role in making this event such a resounding success. It is due to the dedication and professionalism of the HDAP staff that make us
one of the best (if not the best in my humble opinion) treatment providers not only in Hunterdon County but throughout the State of New Jersey. - Glenn Duncan, Executive Director.
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Alumni and Staff Event Recognition
We would like to recognize the people that made this event possible, from conceptual ideas to the actual participation in HDAP's
4th Annual Client Graduation & Recognition Ceremony. They are (in alphabetical order):
- Melissa D.
- Frank Greenagel
- Mary Hanley
- Mark Hodkinson
- Raffaella McCallister
- Cindi McCormack
- Patty McDonnell
- Willie M.
- Donna Meck
- Jass Pelland - Committee Chair
- Jill Piperata
- Jim R.
- Ryan R.
- Nancy Sponholtz
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Hunterdon Drug Awareness Program, Inc.
8 Main Street, Suite 7
Flemington, NJ 08822
Phone: 1-908-788-1900
Fax: 1-908-788-3836
info@hdap.org
Glenn Duncan, Executive Director
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