Her Magazine September 2018

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Her — September 2018

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Her — September 2018

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ON THE

COVER Khrecia Holley now lives a life free of addiction, full of color. Read more on page 16

CONTENTS Contact Her

Mackenzie Tewksbury | Editor | 329-9585 Elizabeth Semple | Advertising | 329-9513 Samuel Alvarado | Designer Email: tellher@reflector.com Her magazine is published by The Daily Reflector and Cooke Communications of North Carolina.

Meet Her

Food

Recovery

Inside

16 Khrecia Holley 6 A Mother's Advice 12 Passion for Fighting Opioid Epidemic 14 Letter to an Addict 22 Help Page 24 Doing the Work My Son Left Unfinished

4

28 Nutrition 15 Puzzles 26 Her Panel 30 Coach Chris

Her — September 2018

From the editor This issue features the stories of brave women who have, in some way, dealt with addiction, whether it be facing it themselves or desperately trying to save a loved one from its grip.

There’s nothing I could say in this space, in this silly little editor’s note, on this topic that fully describes the immense heartache and battles these women have faced. Their stories, well, they speak for themselves.

Meet our team Mackenzie is the editor of Her magazine, Mixer magazine and Greenville: Life in the East. She's a loving mother to a rescue pup named Ficklen. She is also a band T-shirt collector, coffee shop connoisseur and die-hard Pirate fan.

Mackenzie Tewksbury Editor

So I am leaving this space mostly blank, on

Sam is the graphic designer for Her Magazine, Bro Magazine and Greenville: Life in the East. His interests include strong coffee, long naps and soft cats. Contact him at salvarado@reflector. com.

Samuel Alvarado Layout

Juliette Cooke is a photographer for The Daily Reflector and Her and Mixer magazines. She is also a loving mother to her rescue lab, Molly.

purpose, in memory of the brave, strong and loved souls who fought but lost their battle with addiction.

Juliette Cooke Photographer

Molly Mathis Photographer

Jalyn Mills is an East Carolina University recent graduate with a BS in Public Health Studies. This past summer, she completed her internship at the Pitt County Health Department. She enjoys cooking, traveling and staying active.

Jalyn Mills Contributor

May they rest in peace.

Kimberly Newsom Contributor

Molly is a recent RCC photo grad, Carolina Panthers fan and cat enthusiast. Her favorite thing to photograph is sports.

An organic gardener of 20 years, Kimberly is enthusiastic about nutrition and seeks to encourage healthy lifestyles through education. To ask her questions or get advice about horticultural projects, email her at growinginspiration.nc@ gmail.com.

Christina is an advertising account executive, Her Magazine contributor and Hot Dish writer for The Daily Reflector; a Barnes & Noble bookseller; and an adjunct writing instructor. When not working, Christina enjoys bubble baths, drinking wine, cooking, eating and getting Christina Ruotolo lost in the wonderful world of reading. Reach her at Contributor cruotolo@reflector.com.

Christy Jones, also known as Coach Chris, is a Greenville life and business coach. Contact her at coachchris4success@ gmail.com or www. coachchriscompany.com.

Christy Jones Contributor

Mackenzie Tewksbury — editor

Her — September 2018

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A Mother's

ADVICE Don't give up on your children

By Mackenzie Tewksbury Her Magazine

M

ingo Rodriguez was studying to be a history teacher. He loved to read; he would go to Barnes and Nobles as a kid with his mom and pick out books that were far beyond his years.

He loved playing disc golf and hanging out with his buddies.

He played piano. He loved nature and music.

He once even won an oratorical competition for his speech of “Optimism Is…” in middle school.

“He was the kindest person,” Maria Rodriguez, Mingo’s mother said.

“He wasn’t the popular one that everyone knew. He had a great group of friends, but he was quiet, a little shy, sensitive. He was a good kid.”

But, on October 18, 2017, Mingo Rodriguez lost his battle with

6

addiction; making his mother’s worst nightmare her new reality.

“He got back from Wilmington Treatment Center on a Sunday. On Monday we went to Greenville Psychiatry. We did all the paperwork.

They said come back Wednesday, so we went back, and I left him at his house Wednesday afternoon. I came back at 5:30 or 6 p.m. with my other son, we knocked on the door. He didn’t answer the door. We ended up having to break down the door,” Maria Rodriguez said. “He was blue. He had no pulse. He was cold.”

She started CPR on her son — she had used Narcan (an emergency treatment of a opioid overdose) on Mingo’s friend a week before — and called 911, but it was too late.

Her son died on October 18.

He was 22 years old.

Her — September 2018

Mingo’s story happened quickly, Maria said. He started smoking marijuana in high school, which quickly escalated to pills and cocaine, and then heroine. He was in a car accident his sophomore year of college — “a wake up call,” Maria said — and checked himself into rehab in Asheville in 2015. He lived nearly a year in a sober living house, and returned to Greenville to work.

He moved to Colorado shortly after that, where he stayed until about February of 2017, but when he lost his job and got evicted, his mother suggested he move back home. “He said he couldn’t make it, that he’d have to detox first. I had no idea the heroin had got that bad,” his mother said. He went to a rehab center in California.

When he came home, he lived at an Oxford House and was getting ready to attend school at East Carolina University. After a few months, he started taking Xanax again, and then Heroin, and after an overdose,

his mother convinced him to go Wilmington Treatment Center for three weeks. He came back and was on getting set up for Vivitrol shots, a treatment that helps stop the heroin cravings.

But he died shortly after.

“It wasn’t for lack of trying. He went to rehab three different times. He lived in halfway houses,” Maria said. “We did everything you can do.”

His story reads like too many others, his mother said.

And she’s not wrong — according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse, 1505 people died from an opioidrelated overdose in 2016 in North Carolina, totaling 15.2 deaths per 100,000 people, which is two more than the national average. From 2010 to 2016, the number of heroin-related deaths jumped from 39 to 544 deaths, the website states. It’s an epidemic that’s sweeping our country, and nobody is immune.

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Her — September 2018

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“Everybody knows somebody. Whether it’s a brother, an uncle, a niece, a nephew or a son,” Maria said. “Everybody knows somebody.”

The day after her son’s death, Maria said she spent much of the day inside her bedroom, curled up on her bathroom floor near the toilet. She had friends she’s tremendously grateful for: they took care of the kids at times, answered the door, etc. The days and months following were filled with heartbreaking details — making funeral arrangements, deciding on a viewing — details no mother should ever have to make for a child.

It’s just about having a

purpose.

Getting people to remember and continue to say his name and

continue to help people who are in his situation.

“It’s putting one foot in the front of the other,” she said.

Maria’s friend lent her their beach house for the week of December 17, Mingo’s birthday, and the whole family — Maria and her five children — had a memorial for Mingo. And then, all of the sudden, it was January.

“It’s just about having a purpose. Getting people to remember and continue to say his name and continue to help people who are in his situation,” Maria said.

And that’s exactly what Maria did, and continues to do. The February after her son’s death, she created the SURE Foundation: Supporting Recovery Efforts in the Community. She calls it Sure For Mingo. The foundation exists to raise money for organizations already in place

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Her — September 2018

Her — September 2018

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for substance abuse in the area, to raise awareness of the problem and to let other people know they are not alone. It was an opportunity for her to honor her son and make an change.

The first SURE Foundation event, a Disc Golf Fiesta, was held earlier this year on May 5 at Covenant Church. Maria said almost 70 people registered to play and the community came out in droves.

“I didn’t even ask for things. I literally had people on FaceBook saying, ‘Maria, I’ve got a check for you.’ I didn’t even have to ask. It gives me goosebumps. Everybody wants to do something to make a change. It was an outpouring of support,” Maria said.

The event raised almost $5,000 — not a bad number for an event the group threw together in a few months, Maria said.

She said she’s playing with ideas for a fall event, as well, to celebrate the anniversary of Mingo’s death.

“The goal of SURE is for everyone to be together,” she said.

Addiction can happen to anyone, and that’s

10

a notion that isn’t lost on Maria. She knows it’s not her fault, and offered pieces of advice to other struggling families: don’t give up on them.

“We need to meet them where they are, and find out what they need until they see that they are worth it. They are giving up on themselves, they don’t feel worthy of love, they already feel like crap about themselves, and we’re going to validate that for them?” Maria said. “There’s a line of enabling; there’s a line you have to draw, but there’s also love. And there’s support.”

Today, Maria finds comfort in the fact that many of Mingo’s friends that used with him have now gotten help or are in long term recovery. Mingo’s friend, whom Maria used Narcan on the week before her son’s death, called her last week for relationship advice.

“If that’s what Mingo’s life meant — to help other people see the worth of theirs — than that’s what it was,” Maria said with a soft smile.

Her — September 2018

Clues Across

Clues Down

1. Imitated

(abbr.)

1. 100 sq. meters

35. Bars give them their

5. Explosion

42. Economic institution

2. Dessert

own nights

10. One who writes

44. Pat lightly

3. One point south of due

36. Essential for guacamole

12. Large nests

45. Not even

east

39. Currency

14. Philly specialty

48. Cools

4. Profoundly

40. Golfers hope to make it

16. A form of “to be”

50. Seat belt advocate

5. Swatted

43. Touch gently

18. Automobile

52. A dishonorable man

6. Confederate general

44. Does not allow

19. A way to stand

53. Smooths over

7. Soviet composer

46. Cyprinids

20. Waterlogged land

55. Moved quickly

8. Japanese deer (pl.)

47. Insecticide

22. A way to provide

56. Part of a play

9. Tellurium

49. Passover feast and cer-

23. We all need it

57. South Dakota

10. Burn with a hot liquid

emony

25. Stalk of a moss capsule

58. Worsen

11. Pupas

51. Patriotic women

26. Promotional materials

63. Madam Butterfly and La

13. Famed chapel

54. Protein-rich liquids

27. Bashful

Boheme

15. Car mechanics group

59. Type of soda

28. Ten

65. Removes

17. Blocks from the sun

60. Necessary to extract

30. He captured Valencia

66. Dull, brown fabrics

18. Numbers cruncher

metal

31. Quickly

67. Comedian Rogen

21. Responds in kind

61. Inform upon

33. Violent seizure of prop-

23. Shaft horsepower

62. A type of residue

erty

(abbr.)

64. Palladium

35. Fugazi bassist

24. Each

37. Baseball great Davey

27. Fitzgerald’s wife Zelda

38. Large bird cage

29. Tribe of Judah rep

40. British noble

32. Patti Hearst’s captors

41. They protect Americans

34. “The Raven” author

Solutions on page 15 Her — September 2018

11

One social worker’s passion for fighting opioid epidemic

By Mackenzie Tewksbury Her Magazine

Amee Lynn has a semi colon tattooed on her left wrist.

It stands for hope.

It stands for inspiration.

It shines light on Project Semicolon, an American nonprofit presenting hope and love to those who are struggling with depression, suicide, addiction, and self-injury.

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Her — September 2018

And for Amee, the ink stands for her own struggles with mental health and self harm — struggles she faced almost her entire life. It’s those exact struggles that made her feel deeply connected to those who are fighting their own battles with substance abuse.

And after her first internship at Walter B. Jones at age 19, Amee had made her decision to devote her life to fighting the opioid epidemic.

“Within a couple of weeks, I remember just being like, ‘I am in love, I love this work’ and a lot of people think that’s a strange thing to hear — that you would be in love with a field like substance abuse — but I just feel like I really found a connection with the issues that people who struggle with addiction feel,” Amee said.

The 26-year-old is now an independent practitioner at Port Health Services, a drug addiction and mental health center. But, the decision to enter the substance abuse was not at all natural — it happened almost by chance.

She went into college undeclared, and picked psychology as her major because it had interested her at community college. She had originally thought she’d end up working with the military — she grew up in a military family. She began studying social work at East Carolina University, and when the time came to chose an internship, there were no internships available where she could work with the military or veterans, so she had to pick something else.

“I didn’t want to do something all that easy. I wanted to something that’s going to be a challenge,” Amee said. “I finally settled on substance abuse. I felt that it reached every population.”

Then began her journey. Amee interned at Walter B. Jones Detox Center in Greenville, and she’s has never looked back.

“I kind of found a home in that population because I felt so connected with them on a different aspect,” she said.

And part of that aspect was mental health. Amee said a lot of the time, mental health and substance abuse can go hand in hand. The issue of substance abuse often carries a stigma that her and her coworkers are trying to forcefully break down. An addict, she says, is often someone struggling just like everybody else.

“Behind what society labels as an addict is a person who’s experienced pain and sadness and guilt,” Amee said. “Feelings that everyone can relate to.”

Addiction breaks down barriers, Amee said, of socioeconomic status, race, religion, occupation. She’s seen people with business degrees, lawyers and politicians, all the way down to those who do have a tough background, and they all struggle with the same issues.

“We like to call it an equal opportunity disease,” she said.

Amee is dually licensed as a clinical social worker and a clinical substance use worker, and at Port Health Services, she works day in and day out to combat the disease head on.

The clinic she works at is a methadone clinic where patients can get daily doses of methadone, a prescription used for narcotic drug treatments. She sees successes and joy and heartbreaks and pain, but it’s all a part of her way to try and fight the epidemic that’s plaguing the country.

“It comes with equal amount of heartbreak and celebration,” Amee said.

And there’s no easy, size-fits-all way to fight it.

“We’re not going to arrest our way of this epidemic. We’re not going to kill our way out of this, either.”

Her — September 2018

Amee can do her part in fighting the disease here in Greenville, but there is also no easy, one-size-fits-all way to fight that, either. Everybody is different, she said. Each story is unique and must be tailored that way, and Amee knows that. She said if the patient is learning and growing, that’s progress.

“Knowing what we know about it being a process, it’s not you get in there, you mess up, you’re out. We really try to go to any length we can to make sure that the patient is successful,” Amee said. “It’s success stories that are going to get us out of this.”

“It is very much a large part of my identity…It’s something I’ve become passionate about,” Amee said. “I don’t think that will ever stop.”

Amee Lynn, 26, posts this photo to her instagram account on August 31, 2017. “Did you know 120 people die every day from an overdose in the United States? Last year alone this issue was the reason for 52,404 people losing their lives.”

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Letter Addiction does not pick and choose its victims.

It does not discriminate or care the color of your skin, your religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status.

Addiction can take away a person’s ability to rationalize thoughts, feelings and actions.

Addition is a disease, it does not just “appear” or occur in one’s life without warning It can rob parents of children, steal your significant other, family members or friends.

It can rob you of a future, opportunities, and sends “what ifs” flying outside the window.

Addiction is the Elementary school teacher dealing with the loss of her mother or an award-winning surgeon who just performed an open heart surgery Addiction is the Saturday morning soccer mom and the eighteen year-old boy who has lost his way.

Addiction is the athlete who is determined to get that scholarship or the ballerina who is trying to stay thin.

Addiction is the military veteran who has just come home from war and is fighting his/hers demons.

Addiction is the crutch that many lean on when times are hard, the boat they steer into the path of a hurricane, and the diving board they jump off of into the murky abyss Addiction is the grandmother who uses alcohol as pain killers for physical pain It is the high school student who is being bullied by other classmates Addiction is the priest who seeks comfort in the cup, or the truck driver who needs a way to stay awake.

Addiction has many faces reflected back in the mirror of addiction.

It’s the meek, the humble, the weak, brave and the fearless who have been held hostage by addiction’s grip Addiction can kill but it does not need to be a death sentence. Recovery is possible!

to an

Recovery can lead to a more fulfilling way of life with opportunities, and rewards that far outweigh addictions fast fix.

Just remember the famous words Henry Ford once said, “When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”

addict.

Christina Ruotolo

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Her — September 2018

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Puzzle solutions from page 11

Her — September 2018

15

meet

16

Her — September 2018

Life in

COLOR Khrecia Holley lets higher power be her guide

K

By Mackenzie Tewksbury Her Magazine

hrecia Holley wears a bright, vibrant dress — this isn’t unusual. The 36-year old woman lives her life full of color: every color of highlighter rests on her desk; she prints off her work on bright colored paper. Her desk is decorated with hues of blues, pinks and greens.

“People are always like, ‘Where’s all the colored paper?’ And I’m like…”Oh, I have it,” she laughs.

Colors make her happy, she says.

Photos by Molly Mathis

They brighten her day.

Her — September 2018

17

“I want people to come see me and I want them to be happy,” Holley says. “I love colors because they brighten you up. It seems like colors give you hope. That’s me all day. I love color.”

But Holley’s life hasn’t always been full of color. Her past was filled with lots of darkness and a debilitating drug addiction that left her tired, in and out of hospitals and without a purpose.

It started with marijuana, and when she grew tired of that, cocaine.

“My addiction caused a lot of pain,” she says.

“I was working, but I wasn’t seeing any of my money. It was all going into my drug habit.”

Her story with addiction began in 2002.

Starting with marijuana, she began experimenting with other drugs and became addicted to cocaine. Eventually, her mother found out, and tried to send to her rehab, but Holley wasn’t ready. She didn’t go. She kept using.

She worked with her supplier. She started using at work.

She had no money, no purpose.

She was in and out of the hospital for chest pains.

She was in her twenties; she was supposed to be healthy.

“Doctors told me, “Ms. Holley, if you don’t stop, you’re going to die.”

But she was continuously surrounded by a people who were engaging in the same lifestyle, and they got high together all the time. She liked getting high.

“I was chasing that high that I first had,” she says.

But, the night before she was planning on moving in with her friend — and now pastor — something changed. She was getting high by herself. The serious chest pains returned.

She prayed.

“I told God, ‘If you take this away from me, you ain’t gotta worry about me touching it again,’” she says. “The next day… I had a bag.

I flushed it down the toilet. I haven’t touched it since.”

August 25 marks her thirteenth year of sobri-

ety. She’s excited — she knows the alternative.

“I’m not saying every day is peaches and cream for me. But I think about where I came from. I’m supposed to be in prison,” she says.

“I’m supposed to be dead.”

Many times, she says, her thought process could’ve set her back. Any sign of crisis could’ve set her back. In fact, she remembered a time only a year into her recovery when she had a taste for going back to her old lifestyle. She talked to her now pastor, who reminded her that she was finally free of addiction’s tight grip.

“When you get it in your mind that you are free, when you get it in your heart that you are free, that’s when it becomes easier.”

But, it’s not that the days, months and years following didn’t come with struggles. While she was free of the cocaine addiction, she turned to others things like food and men. Storms rolled through her life, she says, but she had a new way of dealing with them — with the help of her higher power.

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18

Her — September 2018

Her — September 2018

19

PRAY, SLAY AND REAPPLY YOUR LIPSTICK.

20

“That’s why I have the saying, ‘Pray, slay and reapply your lipstick.’ Slay those issues. You slay those issues of life. You slay until you can’t slay no more with the help of you higher power,” she says.

Now, she’s cut her old friends out of her life.

“To tell you the truth…I don’t even know where they are,” Holley says.

Now, she has a purpose. She has a life worth living for — a life full of color.

She pulls out a hot pink sash that reads “Ms. Full-Figured N.C. Contestant.” Her face lights up as she drapes it around herself. On October 6, she’ll be a contestant in the Fourth Annual Ms. Full-Figured NC Pageant in Durham. She’s the first contestant in the four-year life of the pageant to run on the platform of the effect of drug addiction and substance abuse in the community.

“I’m bringing awareness, letting people know, sharing my story. I wanted my platform to be powerful and touch people. This opioid epidemic, this stuff that’s going on, is real. I don’t think it’s being talked about enough.”

Holley auditioned for the pageant earlier this year on her birthday. “I felt like I had rocked it,” Holley says, but she was nervous, anxiously waiting a response from the pageant. A few weeks later, she got an email saying she had been selected.

“I started my journey to the crown.”

She thinks back on that moment she flushed her cocaine down the toilet nearly 13 years ago -- the day she traded in a life of pain for a life of joy.

“Tired,” she whispers.

“I…was tired.”

Her — September 2018

Her — September 2018

21

PITT COUNTY EVENTS

YOU ARE

AUGUST 30, 2018 2ND ANNUAL PITT COUNTY INTERNATIONAL OVERDOSE AWARENESS DAY 5-8 p.m.

H. Boyd Lee park, 5184 Corey Road, Greenville.

Free resources, speakers and memorial wall.

Speakers: D. Craig Horn, NC House District 68 Dr. Greg Murphy, NC House District 9 Captain Tony Williams, Pitt County Sheriff's Department SEPTEMBER 8 ECU RECOVERY: ECU Vs UNC football tailgate Noon Location TBD SEPTEMBER 10 ECU RECOVERY: Keynote Speaker Kristin Harper HSC Grand Room 202 7-8:30 p.m.

SEPTEMBER 11-12 ECU RECOVERY: Banner signing and pledge Joyner Library 10-noon SEPTEMBER 13 ECU RECOVERY: Recovery Messaging Training Mendenhall Student Center Room 244 4-5:30 p.m.

NOT ALONE 22

Her — September 2018

SEPTEMBER 15 Pitt County Coalition on Substance Abuse Live Free 9th annual Recovery Fest Town Commons 9 a.m. To 1 p.m.

ALCOHOL ANONYMOUS MEETINGS: https://aagreenvillenc.net/

PITT COUNTY ADDICTION/ RECOVERY SERVICES PITT COUNTY COALITION ON SUBSTANCE ABUSE pccsa@ecu.edu 252-328-2827 ECU RECOVERY East Carolina University 252-328-6661 ecucrc@ecu.edu PORT HEALTH SERVICES 501 Paladin Drive Greenville, NC 252-353-5246

NATIONAL HELP HOTLINES: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Helpline: 1-800-662-HELP (4357) This helpline is free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

National Drug Helpline: 1-888-663-3289 The National Drug Helpline offers free, 24/7 drug and alcohol help to those struggling with addiction. Call the national hotline for drug abuse today to receive information regarding treatment and recovery.

National Addiction Helpline: 1-888-352-6072

WALTER B JONES CENTER 2577 W. Fifth St. Greenville, NC 252-830-3426 GREENVILLE RECOVERY CENTER 150 E. Arlington Blvd.

Greenville, NC 252-353-2555 REACH RECOVERY – CHRIST CENTERED MINISTRY 315 Evans St. #1 Greenville, NC 252-375-4573 THE OXFORD HOUSE: SELF HELP FOR SOBRIETY WITHOUT RELAPSE. The Oxford House is another option for those in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. Simply put, an Oxford House provides a self-supporting drug free home. There are many Oxford Houses scattered throughout Pitt County that are available. In North Carolina, the house rules are as follows: Houses operate democratically, electing house officers who serve six-month terms.

• Houses are financially self-supporting; members split house expenses, which average $90.00 to $130.00 per person per week.

• Any Resident who relapses must be immediately expelled.

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Her — September 2018

23

FOR CHANGE:

Mother: “I’m doing the work my son left unfinished”

By Mackenzie Tewksbury Her Magazine

D

iannee Carden-Glenn remembers what her son told her before he died.

“He said to remember who he was and what he believed. He said that whatever I did, I'd do it for change, and I'd do it for him,” she said.

Her son, Michael Carden, died of a heroin overdose in 2012. Counseling substance abusers was his life's work.

He was on the way to becoming a doctor when he became addicted to heroin himself, and after some tough conversations, he obtained his master's degree in social work and substance abuse from East Carolina University.

He moved to New York, working tirelessly to keep addicts safe and healthy. He spoke at conferences and wrote many papers. He worked closely with hospitals and with Cornell Uni24

versity, trying to prove that even users with Hepatatis C could get treatment and become clean.

He worked relentlessly at syringe exchanges, trying to provide safe materials for addicts and offered counseling and anything -- and I mean, anything -- to people who needed help.

And when he died, Diannee knew she had to do something to keep his work alive.

She did extensive research, worked with the N.C. Harm Reduction Coalition and endured a strong two-year lobbying effort before the state legalized syringe exchanges in 2016.

She then created “ekiM for Change,” a needle exchange program on 1916 Turnbury Drive in Greenville last September. The exchange office operates every Saturday from 1-4 p.m., and

Her — September 2018

anyone who is registered with the state can come and exchange used needles for a bag of 10 syringes, 10 alcohol wipes and 10 cotton swabs.

“I'm just trying to do the work my son left unfinished,” Glenn said.

She also provides naloxone spray, a spray used to counteract the effects of fentanyl, fentanyl tests, and now she provides sandwiches, chips, fruit and cold water bottles.

“So far, there are 84 participants.

They don't come every week, some come more often than others. It's not a one for one,” she said. “It's whatever they need.”

To her, the program is just one way that she can help ensure people are safe and limit bloodborne diseases like Hepatitis C, but she understands the controversy surrounding it. She said

she once did not understand it, and once told her son, “Why don't you just chew gum?”

But, she now knows it's not that simple – and just wants to keep people safe and healthy.

“I totally understand not understanding it. I was there once,” she said. “I just explain it the best way I can. They are just people, all of them are somebody's child, somebody's father, brother, mother. They are loved by their families. They have a problem. We all have problems.”

The N.C. Coalition for Harm Reduction states that while some may think syringe exchanges enable drug use, studies actually show almost the opposite.

“Many studies demonstrate that syringe exchange programs decrease drug use by connecting otherwise marginalized people to treatment. It is estimated that syringe exchange program participants are five times more likely to enter drug treatment than non-participants,” the website states.

Carden-Glenn said the exchange office is a place of trust, and not a place for judgment.

She wants every single one of them to be successful, but she meets them where they are, no matter what.

“For whatever reason, they are in the situation that they are in. None of them want to be there, but it's where they are at. But if you just accept them and love them the way they are, they will trust you.”

Carden-Glenn just returned from a trip to New York, and she went to lunch with some of Michael’s past clients and colleagues. She said they all echoed the same thing: Michael would be proud of her.

“I do what I do because other people won't, or they don't, or they forget about doing it,” she said. “I truly believes it saves lives. This is truly what Michael would want me to do with what I had.”

And now, she’s carrying his legacy on -and she’s doing it for change.

“It's my story, but it's not about me. It's trying to tell other people that these people did good things,” Glenn said. “They just... zigged when they should have zagged.”

Her — September 2018

25

panel W H AT I S YO U R FAVO R I T E WAY TO DE-STRESS?

W H AT I S YO U R CO P I N G MECHANISM F O R T R AG E DY ?

Relaxing while eating a good meal with dessert and watching one of my favorite shows on television or good movie, working out while listening to my music playlist, praying and mediating, a nice bubble bath and reading a good book, a nice massage and some pampering, talking and laughing with friends and loved ones and surfing the internet.

-Zulena Staton, 36, Greenville

My coping mechanism for dealing with tragedy is always first leaning to God and prayer to get through. I believe healthy outlets are discussing and processing fears, concerns, etc from the event.

-Zulena Staton, 36, Greenville

I like to get in my car, favorite beach music CD and windows open. Clears my mind and relaxes me.

-Connie Moore Corey, 62, Greenville I like to put on my pjs, light a candle, and put on soft music for a few minutes.

-LaVette Ford, 48, Greenville Listening to music & spending time alone -Mamie McCray, 48, Bethel

Prayer. I find this helps me to make better decisions and act in a more positive manner.

-Connie Moore Corey, 62, Greenville Pray.

-LaVette Ford, 48, Greenville Prayer & my circle of godly family/friends.

-Mamie McCray, 48, Bethel Prayer, meditation and talking to my friends.

-Minnie Anderson Prayer.

-Susan May, 45, Tarboro

Walking.

-Minnie Anderson Exercise or horror movies depending on mood and time of day‌ lol.

-Susan May, 45, Tarboro

Her panel contributors

Z U L E N A S TATO N

26

Her — September 2018

CO N N I E M O O R E CO R E Y

W H AT A R E YO U L O O K I N G F O R WA R D TO T H I S FA L L S E A S O N ?

W H AT WA S YO U R FAVO R I T E PA R T OF THE SUMMER S O FA R ?

Being able to relax and sleep in!

-Zulena Staton, 36, Greenville I love watching my grandson play baseball and my granddaughters and nieces laughing in the yard doing gymnastics.

-Connie Moore Corey, 62, Greenville Longer days so that I can go to do park with my Khloe.

-LaVette Ford, 48, Greenville Outdoor grilling & watermelon.

-Mamie McCray, 48, Bethel My trip to New Orleans.

-Minnie Anderson

M A M I E M CC R AY

The beautiful leaves and weather. I also like a The little fall events and festivals. Football and Thanksgiving gives you bonding time and fellowship with loved and friends, as well as, good food!

-Zulena Staton, 36, Greenville Football, tailgating and cooler weather!

-Connie Moore Corey, 62, Greenville Cooler temperatures.

-LaVette Ford, 48, Greenville The holidays & time with family.

-Mamie McCray, 48, Bethel Learning to play the banjo I bought.

-Minnie Anderson

MINNIE ANDERSON

S U SA N M AY

If you would like to be one of our panelists, email Mackenzie at mtewksbury@reflector.com.

Her — September 2018

27

&

FESTIVE FRUITS nutrition

VIBRANT VEGGIES

By Jalyn Mills

Fall is the season of colorful fruits and vegetables. Many nutrients stem from colorful produce. Having a nutritious diet can help maintain a healthy life. Also, eating well will reduce the chances of developing a chronic disease. There is a variety of radiant produce to choose from this season.

ORANGE PRODUCE Orange is a color of warmth. Lots of fall produce is orange in color and contains vitamin A. Some benefits of vitamin A are improved vision, reproductive health and better immunity from sickness. Beta-carotene is a nutrient that is found in some orange produce as well and is the active form of vitamin A. It serves as an antioxidant that supports vision health and shields healthy cells. Foods that you can find this season are carrots, pumpkins and sweet potatoes.

GREEN PRODUCE Green is the color of growth and renewal. There are many nutrients packed in green produce, especially leafy green vegetables.

B-vitamins such as folate (folic acid) and vitamin B2 have many health benefits. B vitamins regulate the body’s metabolism, promote growth and support a strong and healthy pregnancy.

Vitamin C and potassium are also found in leafy greens too. This season, look for collard, mustard and turnip greens. Broccoli, spinach, lettuce, kale and cabbage are also great sources of B vitamins.

PRODUCE Deep-colors such as red, blue and purple have a pigment that has health benefits called anthocyanin. Although it is not wellknown, it has extremely important health components. The health benefits of anthocyanin can improve vision and neurological health and lower the risk of chronic diseases such as heart disease and cancer. A few examples are apples, beets, radishes and raspberries.

28

Her — September 2018

APPLE CRISP

Now that you know the benefits of eating colorful fruits and vegetables, you can try this festive recipe!

with

Splenda

INGREDIENTS: FILLING

DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2 pounds firm baking apples,

Lightly coat an 8x8 inch glass

(about 5 medium peeled),

baking dish with non-stick

cored and cut into 1/4-inch slices 2 tablespoons orange juice 1/4 cup Splenda Granular

cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl toss the apples with the orange juice.

3. Mix Splenda, flour and

1 tablespoon all-purpose

cinnamon together in a

flour

small bowl. Sprinkle over the

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

apples and toss. Place apple

After School Program

in the prepared pan.

TOPPING

4. In a medium bowl, mix to-

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

gether the flour, oats, Splen-

6 tablespoons old-fashioned

da, and cinnamon. Cut in

rolled oats

butter with a pastry blender,

1/2 cup Splenda Granular

fork or fingers until mixture

1 teaspoon cinnamon

resembles fine crumbs.

4 tablespoons light butter

Sprinkle topping over apples.

5. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes, or

EQUIPMENT/UTENSILS

until apples are tender and

Small mixing bowl

crisp is bubbling. Delicious

Large mixing bowl

when served warm.

Engaging Arts Enriched After School Program Pick up from area public and private schools Daily Classes in dance, music, art, and theatre arts Day camps and early release days included

8x8 inch glass baking dish Measuring cups and spoons

Nutritional Information: Serving size: 3 inch x 2¼ inch piece Calories 175; Carbohydrate 33 g; Protein 2 g; Fat 4.5 g; Fiber 4 g; Sodium 51 mg

YIELD: 6 SERVINGS

Source: Apple Crisp with Splenda® by Marlene Koch, RD, DietWatch.com

www.creativeartskids.com

252-756-6899

Her — September 2018

29

advice

When It’s All Said and Done…”

E

ach September, I celebrate because on September 21, 2008 at 1:02am, my entire life changed. I gave birth to the absolutely most beautiful bright-eyed baby girls in the whole wide world…and almost died.

I endured a heart attack during the labor process and ended up having to have an emergency C-section. This was one of the most challenging experiences that I have ever had to face but I am so thankful to be alive today to tell the story…and this is why I celebrate it because it could have been another way! (There is more to the story and I am working a book now as we speak and I will keep you all posted once I am finished writing it!)

Having a near death experience changed me. I do not see things the same and I value life and the people in my life differently too. I live with an awareness that this life is not as long as we may think. I live in a way that causes me to do certain things on PURPOSE because when it is all said and done, once I close my eyes on this side, all that I did not say or do—it will be too late on this side.

I made a decision that when it is all said and

30

done, what I want people to remember about me is that I evidently loved Jesus; I loved my family (my husband and my daughter and my family); I served people; I helped people; I encouraged people; and I empowered people to dream and go after those dreams. You see, stuff is not important to me—now, don’t get me wrong, I have some stuff and I appreciate it—but what makes me the richest woman in the world is NOT the house that I live in or the car that I drive or the clothes I wear but it is being able to say that I have people in my life that I can love and they can love me back. When it is all said and done, I want people to be able to say, “she really lived a full life and gave of herself to help A LOT of people!” That is what really matters to me. I want to be an example for my baby girl and I want to teach her to value what really matters…

As I get ready to close this article, I have a question for you: When it is all said and done…what do you want to be said about you? Think about it, write it down, and then begin to live it out…

Until next time…live on purpose and let your little light shine!

Her — September 2018

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