The City of Malden and the greater Malden community commemorated the opening of the Bridge Recovery Center (BRC) with a ribbon cutting on Commercial Street on Saturday, June 26th.
The ribbon cutting was symbolic of the years of hard work that went into making the center a reality. Hundreds of friends, family members, volunteers, and supporters of Malden Overcoming Addiction, the Gavin Foundation, and the Bridge Recovery Center were on hand to join in the celebration.
The dream of opening the Bridge peer to peer recovery center in Malden was realized over the last several months after years of advocacy, planning, and legislative efforts to secure the funding. The partnership formed between Malden Overcoming Addiction and the Gavin Foundation was forged with the support of Mayor Gary Christenson and Senator Jason Lewis.
The Bridge Recovery Center is operated and managed by the Gavin Foundation and is funded by the Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services. Gavin Foundation CEO John McGahan spoke of the Bridge Recovery Center’s peer to peer model as a pathway from “ darkness to dignity.” He thanked the Malden Legislative delegation, Mayor Gary Christenson and Malden Overcoming Addiction President Paul Hammersley for their unwavering support and dedication to the project. He also acknowledged the tremendous efforts of Center Director, members, volunteers and the BRC crew who run the center.
Paul Hammersley, President of Malden Overcoming Addiction, who was the driving and relentless force behind the opening of the center, credited his sponsor and friend, the late Dom DiSario as an inspiration and the conscientious leader of the movement to open a center.
Mr. Hammersley and Mayor Gary Christenson both heaped praise upon Malden’s Legislative Delegation who were fierce supporters of the project and largely responsible for ensuring that a consistent funding stream was available to open a center.
On hand for the ceremony were Senator Jason Lewis, State Representative Paul Donato, State Representative Steve Ultrino, and former State Representative and current Melrose Mayor Paul Brodeur. Also participating in the ceremony were Malden Police Chief and Malden Opioid Task Force member Kevin Molis and Pastor Gerry Whetstone of the Nazarene Church in Malden, also a member of the Opioid Task Force.
For more information about the Bridge Recovery Center contact 781-480-4937. For more information about Malden Overcoming Addiction please call 781-838-2203.