Drug Education Council Hosts 2024 Annual Luncheon
On March 12, the Drug Education Council held its Annual Luncheon, an event in downtown Mobile with over 750 guests there to celebrate recovery and those who have successfully overcome addiction.
Dr. Stephen Loyd was one of three honorees at the 2024 Luncheon; he received the Marion Vineyard Cranford Award, which is given to those who have been pioneers in the field of addiction treatment and recovery. Other honorees were Ralph Griffith, an advocate for addiction recovery in the Mobile area, and Gary Garstecki, who has made a significant contribution through his work with fraternities at The University of Alabama. In his remarks, Steve spoke of his journey to recovery, reminding all those in attendance that a strong community is one of the keys to managing use disorder.
Following the awards, attendees heard from Lorna Luft, who, in addition to being Judy Garland’s daughter, is an author, actress, and singer in her own right. She is also in recovery herself, and she told those there of her own story of sobriety.
DEC has been a partner in The Helios Alliance since its early days, and their work, as well as the work of prevention and recovery advocates around the country, should be recognized as essential to abating the opioid crisis. As Virginia Guy, Executive Director of the DEC said, we must “let the community know that treatment works, and that people do get into lives of recovery and that’s a lot to celebrate.”
For more information about the DEC Annual Luncheon: Fox10