Georgia Southern celebrates National Recovery Month with library exhibit and recovery tailgate
This September, Georgia Southern University will recognize National Recovery Month with two events that celebrate Statesboro’s recovery history and community.
Organized by the Center for Addiction Recovery (CAR) in the Jiann-Ping Hsu College of Public Health (JPHCOPH), these activities include a monthlong library exhibit highlighting the origins and evolution of recovery in Statesboro and a recovery tailgate before the Sept. 26 home football game.
The exhibit at the Zach S. Henderson Library explores the community’s history of supporting individuals in recovery from substance use and mental health disorders. Through photographs, journals, audio testimonials and more, the exhibit traces Statesboro’s history of recovery back to the 1950s and highlights the people and organizations that have shaped it.
The exhibition, curated by Georgia Southern Libraries and Center for Addiction Recovery staff, begins with the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous as a national organization and its arrival in Statesboro, and follows the expansion of local support services, including the founding of Willingway Hospital, which has become a nationally recognized addiction treatment center.
“Recovery has long been part of the fabric of this community,” said David Gerber, CEO at Willingway Hospital, the title sponsor for the library exhibition. “For generations, people in Statesboro have supported one another in finding hope, connection and a path forward. Willingway is proud to have played a part in the rich history and tradition of recovery in Statesboro.”
The activities will continue on Sept. 26, when Georgia Southern’s True Blue Recovery program hosts a recovery tailgate before Southern’s home football game against the University of Houston. True Blue Recovery at the Center for Addiction Recovery is Georgia Southern’s collegiate recovery program that supports students in recovery.
The event will be a stop on the Georgia Recovers Bus Tour, a statewide initiative led by the Georgia Council for Recovery that travels across Georgia throughout September to celebrate recovery and connect communities with resources and support.
“The Georgia Council for Recovery is proud to partner with our local recovery community hosts to bring a uniquely Georgia message of the hope and joy of recovery,” said Brian Kite, recovery community organization development program manager of the Georgia Council for Recovery.
The free tailgate is open to students and community members and will feature live music, food and drinks, entertainment and recovery resources.
“College football and tailgating are such a big part of the student experience, and we want people to know that you can still be part of that excitement without alcohol or other substances,” said Julia Curiel, coordinator of True Blue Recovery.
Together, these events highlight both the deep roots of recovery in Statesboro and the growing network of resources available to those struggling with addiction. Most importantly, they offer a reminder that recovery is not only possible, but is worth celebrating.
“Recovery is about more than overcoming substance use, it’s about building a life that is full, connected and worth celebrating,” Curiel said. “We want people to see that there is a community here for them, and that choosing recovery doesn’t mean missing out on the fun. It can mean finding an entirely new way to belong.”