Nash County opens substance abuse recovery community center

Nash County officials have opened a recovery community center in Rocky Mount, calling it one of the biggest steps in combating the opioid crisis.

"This is the first recovery community center that is basically a peer support organization," said Ashley Fabrizio, peer event and activities coordinator.

For those affected by substance use disorder, that process includes some creative activities.

"Painted for the first time in my life – never, ever painted. We had this pink flamingo night," said Joe DeMoranville.

Fabrizo said for her, recovery is personal, having been in it since her battle with an addiction to painkillers, which began at age 16 after a cheerleading injury.

"I could get refill after refill. They didn't question it because of who I was and what I looked like," she said.

Fabrizio is now sober and in charge of planning events for those who are in recovery and their families.

Organizers hope to put an end to isolating those who are in treatment.

"That's what we're trying to do is just to build everyone's confidence and try to get it out there that we do recovery together," she said.

By offering the chance to do recovery together, people have already started to come through the door to get the help they desperately need.

"We can have fun without getting high, and that's been a beautiful thing," DeMoranville said.