Cheryl Coney of Butler has used no mood or mind altering substancessince May 9, 2006. Mentored by Susan Hetz, Coney is now pursuing a degree in social work at Slippery Rock University.

Every morning Susan Hetz spreads a purple yoga mat onto her wooden porch on Hansen Avenue, where sunlight drenches brightly colored prayer flags and several ceramic sun plaques. Lush green plants surround Hertz as she as she greets her day with reverence and gratitude, gratitude that on January 15, 1998, she began her recovery from cocaine addiction.

Hertz began using drugs in the 1970s, but her use accelerated in the 1980s as a way of coping with a job loss.

These days after her morning ritual, Hetz is busy organizing Recovery Walks! 2009, a celebration to mark National Recovery Month that includes breakfast, a walk and speakers.

The walk on Sept. 19 is sponsored by the Recovery Project, a peer-support program of Butler Memorial Hospital. In her job as the project leader, Hertz draws from her own experience with struggle and accomplishment.

"Using was miserable. At the end I'd wake up, find what I needed and use. I didn't go out. I was afraid to drive because I might get stopped. I could barley get out to get cigarettes," she recalled.

"By the time I was approached by someone who loved me and offered me treatment, I was pretty sure I would kill myself."

With the help of a friend who worked in the field, Hetz got into a residential treatment program.

"The first two years, all I did was recovery," Hetz said. "But in time I met my spiritual adviser and began getting spiritual direction — began meditation and began a path that really made sense to me. As time goes on and I practice this path, the truer it becomes."

Hetz's path includes a focus on physical health as well as spiritual health. The baby boomer who has practiced Yoga for several decades is extremely flexible and energetic.

But Hetz said spirituality is not a replacement for treatment for those in early recovery.

"Being invested in a 12-step fellowship for three years is necessary. I took every kind of treatment I was eligible for and finally joined a weekly relapse prevention group and went most weeks," said Hetz.

But two months before her two-year mark, they could no longer justify her need for it.

"It's different for everybody. The common wisdom is if you begin using any substance again, relapse is inevitable. I can't tell you if it's true because I've never tested the theory. ... My ability to recoup my life is wonderful and I've learned that I don't need alcohol and drugs to make my life better."

According to Hetz, the path of recovery depends on a lot of things: what they are addicted to, time frame and intensity of addiction and pattern of use. It also depends on the addict's initial motivation. Often, the groundwork for addiction has been laid for years.

"Some people take their first drink as a toddler," said Hetz.

Different stages and life circumstances also influence recovery, she explained.

"If I had been molested or abused, had no economic advantage, no ability to make a living, no coping mechanism or a genetic factor, I may not have been as successful. A lot depends on what the path looked like."

Hetz added that fewer than 15 percent of people achieve stable, sustained recovery at 5 years. Other substances, like heroin, may take much longer, yet less research is being done on recovery than on addiction.

"It's absolutely crucial that people get good information about addiction and recovery. We need to know about both. Questions are being raised now which have not been raised before. It's a more hopeful scene."

That scene is more hopeful because of those who are anxious to give back. Giving back usually begins with sponsoring another person in a 12-step fellowship. Hetz mentored 40-year-old Cheryl Coney of Butler, who is now reaching out to others.Coney is thrilled that she has used no mood or mind altering substances since May 9, 2006.She recently transferred from Butler County Community College to Slippery Rock University, where she is pursuing a degree in social work. Before that, she relocated from Philadelphia, where she and her significant other fell into substance abuse."We decided in Philly that we didn't want to live like that anymore," said Coney. "But in Philly, I couldn't go to any fellowships. I'd go to a meeting, and was confronted with my demons," she said, referring to friends who were still using.Setting goals"Then my significant other went through a program here in Butler and later came to get me. He helped open that door for me."After a year and a half, Coney attended a career workshop at Butler County Community College called New choices, New Options. Just as her recovery program taught how to stay substance-free, the workshop taught how to reach career goals. She has heeded the advice.She expects to complete her degree by 2011, but hopes in January to become a certified recovery specialist through the Pennsylvania Recovery Organizations Alliance, or PRO-A.Although Coney's schedule is hectic, she finds time between classes and fellowship meetings to reach out on Internet chat lines and message boards.One chat line, In the Rooms, is sponsored by a fellowship called Help, Inform, Touch, Connect, Heal — or HITCH."You have to be a member of the group or register before you can log in. You can create your profile, get a mailbox, join a community. It's like Facebook for people in recovery," Coney said.Coney has e-sponsored people as far away as Iran and India and currently sponsors a woman from Australia. She sponsors another woman face to face.Coney said the criteria to be a sponsor includes being clean for a year and a half and enough familiarity with the 12 steps to guide a person through applying the principles.Coney said keeping on track is not easy. When she has a weak moment, she sends out a message, calls her sponsor, prays, writes in her journal or goes to a meeting."Meetings are important. Sometimes kids go to meetings. We'd rather hear a bratty loud-mouthed kid than to know a person is at home suffering."She said she feels it's crucial that she reaches her goals in order to get other women into recovery."There are always more males than females in recovery. There aren't that many to pass the baton to," she said."Not only have I stopped using. I've restored my relationships; I've taken a position at my church, I'm vice chairmen of the drug and alcohol council in Butler, member of (Butler Collaborative for Families) and a member of Recovery Advocates, a group that is sponsoring the Recovery Walks! event," Coney said.Coney sees certain populations, like pregnant teens and the homeless who can't get an education, falling through the cracks. She'd like to someday obtain grants to design her own programs for them."The world is my oyster. I'll be doing what I want to do. I'll be able to impact someone's life. I love recovery and I want everyone who needs it to find it," Coney said.Homeward boundAccording to Coney and Hetz, getting through initial programs at residential treatment centers is no easy task. But once addicts conquer that hurdle, they are faced with finding an environment to support staying clean.Rich Christensen of Butler can attest to that. Christensen was "almost a teen" when he began his recovery 12 years and 10½ months ago. He had tried to get sober in residential treatment centers 11 times when he decided to try a program offered through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs."I was mentally and spiritually bankrupt, a broken man, if you will. And I felt like it was going to be the last time I would try. Finally I got sober in Seattle through the V.A.," said Christensen. "They have a long term homeless program with drug and alcohol (counseling)."Christensen said it was the program's long term aspect that accounted for his success."It was up to nine months, which was key. They offered job training, held you accountable to go to meetings and helped you get back into society," he said. "In treatment it's not real life. They taught us how to apply recovery in real life."After his program in Seattle, Christensen went immediately to Oxford House, a safe house program for recovering addicts.Life in an Oxford House is based on three primary rules: Do not use drugs or alcohol; pay your rent or any fines, and do not be disruptive.

Rent is generally between $80 to $100 a week and includes utilities. Generally 12-step meeting attendance is encouraged, and a certain number of meetings may be mandatory."I got to go to work, had a good support system," Christensen said. "It was life on life's terms. We could concentrate on our recovery because we didn't have to leave in 90 days."Weekly mandatory meetings address problems ranging from who failed to take out the garbage or make their rent to who was caught using. It is at these meetings that checks are written for bills, and residents are made aware of where they stand financially.Anyone shirking responsibility may be fined. Anyone caught using is immediately expelled."They have 14 to 30 days out before they can attempt to come back, but the door is open if they get clean again," said Christensen.The first Oxford House was opened in Silver Spring, Md., by Paul Molloy, a Senate committee staff member between 1967 and 1972. He sought treatment for his alcoholism in a halfway house in 1975. Later that year, the halfway house would close due to financial difficulty, and Molloy and the other residents took over the lease."He started with one in Washington and now there are 240 there, Christensen said. Today there are more than 1,000 Oxford Houses in the United States and abroad.Christensen was so enthusiastic about the idea that he became a consultant for Oxford House and has worked for the company for 11 years, living in 14 states while opening facilities.In November 2007, he opened his first house in Butler. Now there are four housing a total of 28 men, including the newest one on Orchard Avenue, opened in March. It houses seven."It's not that horrible idea of what most people think a halfway house might look like: 18 guys at a time smoking cigarettes on the porch," he said.At the Orchard Avenue site, the residents built a pond and keep up the garden, which includes lilies, black-eyed Susans and other lush foliage.A neatly kept living room and dining room contain shelves of books along with games for late-night competitions. A computer is almost always in use.Christensen said Oxford House residents must be employed or volunteering."These are solid guys," Christensen said. "It's nice to have $1,400 over what you need for rent and utilities. This house saved enough to get a 37-inch TV and a barbecue grill," he added."I'm thankful to the Butler Drug and Alcohol Council for supporting me and the men who are part of my life, who keep me sober and able to do the work."

<B>WHAT: </B>Recovery Walks! 2009, a celebration of community support and understanding for those struggling with substance abuse and addiction. The event begins with a breakfast followed by speakers and a 3-mile looped walk beginning at Net Outreach. Nonwalkers welcome. Vehicles will be available to those unable to complete the walk.<B>WHEN: </B>8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sept. 19<B>WHERE: </B>Net Outreach, 100 Center Ave.<B>INFORMATION: </B>Call 724-431-0224.

These organizations and programs are available to help those in recovery or seeking treatment for substance abuse disorders:• In The Rooms — A social networking site for the worldwide recovery community, www.intherooms.com.• Recovery Resources — Site provided by advocates that reach out to the medical, public health, criminal justice and other communities about the possibilities of recovery, www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org.• Alcoholics Anonymous — Fellowship program providing meetings and support for those seeking recovery from alcohol use disorders, www.aa.org.• Narcotics Anonymous — Fellowship program providing meetings and support for those seeking recovery from drug use disorders, www.na.org.• AA Grapevine — The international journal of Alcoholics Anonymous, written, edited, illustrated and read by AA members and those interested in AA programs. A lifeline linking one alcoholic to another, www.aagrapevine.org.• Celebrate Recovery — A program that incorporates Christianity into the recovery process, www.celebraterecovery.com.• Seeds of Hope Support Group — Support for those who have loved ones abusing drugs. Based at First United Methodist Church on North Street, 724-283-6160.• The Recovery Project — A peer support group for those recovering from substance abuse disorders. Based at Butler Memorial Hospital, 724-431-0224.• Grace Youth and Family Foundation — A Butler faith-based nonprofit organization that provides programs for young people and families at risk or those seeking support in addressing substance abuse disorders, www.gyff.com.

Cheryl Coney maintains a busy schedule whilepursuing a degree at Slippery Rock University.However, she still finds time to help othersthrough various online resource sites.

Susan Hetz does yoga on her Hansen Avenue porch. Hetz, a former cocaine addict, traces the origins of her road to recovery to Jan. 15, 1998. Maintaining physical and spiritual health are part of her routine.