Our September newsletter is out, and I was grateful for the opportunity to write about our August 29, 2024 New Canaan Vigil. There were so many things that went right for our 8th Annual, which I discuss in the Letter from the Founder below:
We did it! Hit the stretch target of 500 attendees at our 8th Annual New Canaan Vigil.
This is important for me personally, because my goal—which many of us share in our work—is to SAVE LIVES. And as I said at the Vigil, I believe from the bottom of my heart that, “for every story told, at least one life is saved”.
When Aidan C., a 23-year-old New Canaan resident, stepped to the podium to deliver our first recovery story of the evening, I wasn’t sure what to expect. He did admit to being nervous, and maybe there was additional pressure because we were promoting the “Power of Story” ahead of the Vigil. Yet, after he stepped off the podium 8 minutes later and hugged his mom, he had won the audience and a standing ovation! This was a moment we who attended will not forget.
The rest of the Vigil program is history, but what a sequence it was. Cini Shaw was the next batter up, and launched into her story as a “Darien housewife”. Her share was equally as powerful as Aidan’s–yet completely different . (See Cini’s testimonial in this month’s Recovery Blog post below.) After a beautiful song from the Pivot Ministries Choir, Ben Tuff shared his “swimming pathway” story that resonated with many.
Our Emcee John Hamilton (8th year in a row) was outstanding, as were our candlelight vigil leaders Chapin and Cheryl, and our pre-show musicians, Scott Troyer and the Honey Blades.
Family Introductions: similar to last year, family members introduced our speakers, consistent with our Families Empower Recovery theme. Aidan C’s mom, Jacqueline, introduced her son in an emotional and touching way. Cini’s recovery family member, Lisa Hope, and Ben Tuff’s brother, Alex, also showed sincere love and respect in their intros.
Our 8th Annual Community Addiction Awareness Vigil was a collaborative event. Many people made this event possible. I especially want to call out—besides those mentioned above—Team Orange members Ava, Chapin, Cheryl, Colleen, Cyra, Eric, Francesca, Ginger, Gray, Jacqueline, Jude, Leo, Liza, Meg, Rich, Robert, Susannah, and Tracy. You are the best!
For you video viewing pleasure: Look for releases of the testimonials and a short Vigil Summary video in the future. I suggest getting started with Ben Tuff’s Swim Tuff documentary (click here). To view our wonderful Vigil photos, just click here.
Resources: In addition to our New Canaan Therapist Listing and the Resource Section of our website, we created a digital directory of all the Vigil resources that attendees could scan with a QR Code.
Weekly support meetings. We strongly believe that family support and education increase the likelihood of recovery success. While we are proud of the Vigil’s impact, we continue to host our weekly parent support meetings, in a safe, confidential space at New Canaan’s St. Mark’s Church.
Please put Wednesday, August 27, 2025 on your calendar for our 9th Annual Community Addiction Awareness Vigil.
Have a great Fall,
Paul Reinhardt
paul@ncparentsupportgroup.org
ncparentsupportgroup.org