Walpole Island First Nation is hosting Battle for Recovery on Saturday, aiming to bring lived experiences to support healing, hope, recovery, and resilience. Various speakers and community voices will be part of the event, including Chef Recovery (Jay Barnard), the founder and executive director of Empower2Recover Foundation. Empower2Recover has partnered with Walpole for it. Barnard has been in recovery for more than 18 years, turning from a former drug dealer to an executive chef and motivational speaker, the foundation said. “Recovery is so much more than overcoming addiction,” he said. “It’s about rediscovering who we are, finding our purpose, healing from within, and understanding that our past does not have to define our future. I’m so incredibly honoured to bring Battle for Recovery to Walpole Island First Nation. Together, we are the Statistics of Hope.” Other speakers include: It will take place at 770 Tecumseh Road, Walpole. A community lunch takes place at 12 p.m., followed by Battle for Recovery at 1 p.m.
