Action in Recovery was founded by Jason Beckwith, a Butler resident and certified recovery specialist.

About one year ago, a group of people, many of them in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, got together for a modest community service project in Butler.

They picked up trash and painted the swinging bridge over Sullivan Run at the end of the Rotary Park path.

The group, founded by Jason Beckwith, a Butler resident and certified recovery specialist, called itself Action in Recovery.

The goal was for people who are working to stay sober to feel good about themselves by making a positive difference in their community, said Beckwith, who is himself in recovery.

“People in recovery are always willing to help other people. Selfless acts — it's part of that lifestyle,” Beckwith said.

The seed planted with that first service project continued to grow as more people got involved.

In July, volunteers worked day and night to help residents of Butler's West End clean out their basements after the area was hit with flooding.

“Every single day we were down there, hauling things out. It was really awesome to get to be a part of that,” said Jamie Goehring, a Butler resident who is involved with the group.

In August, they held a Kids Day at Rotary Park where they gave out sports equipment to more than 200 children.

There are many people in the community who want to do something about the opioid crisis and Beckwith's group gives them a chance to get out and do something tangible, he said.

“I didn't want to wait for the cavalry to come save us,” he said.

The group now has nonprofit status. It is operating under the umbrella of Alliance for Nonprofit Resources — a Butler-based agency that offers administrative services to small charitable organizations.

They are planning another Kids Day this year and are working on a series of family friendly outings, to be held every-other-weekend, where people in recovery will have a chance to spend time and bond with their children. The activities will be geared toward people who live in the city of Butler, and transportation to other areas will be provided.

“The idea is to have a nice environment where they can bond with their kids in a safe space,” Goehring said.

Possibly the biggest undertaking this year for Action in Recovery is Camp Success. The organization will hold a summer camp for youth age 12 to 15 from the Butler area.

The camp will teach life skills and resiliency, Beckwith said.

Through partnerships with donors and other organizations, each child in the camp will be sponsored to participate in one sport or activity for a year. That could include a sport, art classes or some other interest, Beckwith said.

The camp has already been filled for this year with 24 participants. Organizers hope to expand the program in 2019.

Another positive of Action in Recovery is the group's work is helping to erase the stigma associated with addiction.

Danny Nichols of Butler, who is in recovery, said he has had many positive interactions with members of the community and has been able to change their minds about drug users.

“In addiction we may do bad things, we may seem like monsters, but that's not who we really are. That's the addiction. People can change,” Nichols said.

Nichols echoed Beckwith's comments about the value of helping others.

“One thing that's really important in recovery is to have something to do in their free time,” he said.

Anyone, whether they are recovery or not, is able to volunteer and attend events. For more information or to contact Action in Recovery, visit www.facebook.com/A.I.R.16001.