SPOKANE, Wash. – After nearly losing her life to alcohol addiction, Katrina Stolz is now celebrating three and a half years sober and using her second chance to help others break the cycle.
“I had a family member that committed suicide and a father that was really sick…and I turned to alcohol and it got really bad to the point my liver was giving out,” Stolz said. “I was stuck in that cycle for eight years. I’m actually a drug and alcohol counselor now. Everyday I tell my clients you can do the exact same thing.”
Gabriel Minchow says success stories like Katrina’s, and like his own, can make all the difference. He’s also using his past to lead others toward a brighter future.
“I have lived experience with alcoholism, and I moved to Spokane for treatment actually a little over ten years ago, and I’ve been sober ever since,” Gabriel said.
Gabriel created the nonprofit Spokane Outreach Networking Group, or SONG, a couple of years ago and is using it to connect resources and individuals around Spokane County.
“Underneath ‘behavioral healthcare’ there’s substance abuse disorder, there’s primary mental health disorders, there’s eating disorders, sex addiction, gambling addiction, and a variety of things,” Gabriel said. “We look at Spokane County, the community and thought it was important to build a community of support and trust, so that’s how SONG began.”
On Friday, Sept. 20, SONG is hosting the second annual IMPACT Behavioral Health Fair from noon to 4 p.m. Inside the Spokane Convention Center to promote those local resources available and create that sense of community.
“It’s a free event, so all are welcome,” Gabriel said. “We really want to encourage families with a loved one that they’re trying to find help for (to come).”
The event is expected to include over 100 resource booths where visitors can meet with people from local non-profits, healthcare providers, and more. IMPACT Behavioral Health Fair will also include speakers and awards being presented to outstanding individuals in the Spokane community making an impact.
Following the fair, the Spokane Outreach Network Group will host their Non-Profit Launch Party on the Convention Center rooftop from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
For more information about the IMPACT Behavioral Health Fair or to get your organization involved, visit www.songwashington.org
