MI Connects Recovery Newsletter

March 2021 MI Connects Volume 1, Issue 3

Black Balloon Day Special Edition

Inside: Black Balloon Day. A day set aside every March to re-
Impactful “Black member the thousands of people each year who have
died from drug overdoses. It was created to raise
Balloon” Photos
awareness and to help erase the stigma substance us-
And Letters From ers and their families feel.
Their Loved Ones
This year, a city councilwoman from my hometown of
Mason, Michigan came to me with the idea of raising
awareness for Black Balloon Day by highlighting fami-
lies from Mason who have lost loved ones to overdos-
es. Mason, a town of over 8,000 people just south of
Lansing, has lost over a dozen young men and women
over the last decade to addiction. As with most small
towns, though, standing up and talking about some-
thing like addiction or overdose is extremely hard.
So we reached out to the community through our social media pages. Several people volunteered
to be photographed with a black balloon and a picture of their lost loved one. It was a powerful
statement and produced hundreds of interactions about addiction on social media. The courage
and bravery those families showed was inspiring. For the March issue of Mi Connects, I thought it
was only right to post a few of those pictures and bios from the Black Balloon project. I hope you
find them as impactful as I did.

I would also like to recognize Rita Vogel, the Mason City Councilwoman who came up with this
idea. Not many small town political figures would stand up to talk about “touchy” subjects like
Also Inside:
addiction. I also want to credit Kellie Marie Photography LLC and Emma Gorrell for taking the
Michigan News on photographs. Check out the pictures and letters each family wrote inside.
Addiction/Recovery
Lansing’s First Ever “Sober Bar” Opening
Lansing is getting a sober bar.

Yes, you read that right. A place where people can grab a bite to eat, watch the big game, and
interact with friends. Everything a traditional bar offers without the alcohol – with a focus on
Lansing’s thriving recovery population.

Wing Heaven Sports Haven will host a grand opening on Monday, March 15 at their storefront on
3812 S. Martin Luther King Blvd. It is the same building that Jackie’s Diner and Ziggy’s Coney Is-
land once occupied.

Owned and started by Teresa Stokes and Ayanna Ballard – two highly respected women in the
Lansing recovery community – Wing Heaven Sports Haven will be Lansing’s first sober bar.

CONTINUE READING ON PAGE 2

 Volume 1, Issue 3 Page 2

Continued: Wing Heaven Sports Haven Opening In Lansing

Stokes, who also co-founded the sober living program Pinnacle Recovery Services with Alina Brans-
combe, said it was all about providing people trying to stay sober an alternative to having to be
around alcohol – while still having a fun time out on the town.

“We wanted to give everyone the option to go to a safe and enjoyable environment without drugs
and alcohol,” Stokes said. “People in recovery need the option to be able to go out with friends and
not worry about seeing alcohol at the next table and still be able to have a great time.”

Wing Heaven Newly renovated, the restaurant will feature Wing Heaven’s regular items, such as wings, burgers,
Sports Haven: fish, gizzards, and other bar-type food.
-Opening: March Sports will be on the televisions all day to go along with music, pool, air hockey, arcade games, and
15 alcohol-free drinks.
-Located: 3812 S. Josh Carr, the general manager, said the basement is also being renovated to be able to hold 12
MLK Blvd. Lan-
step meetings, such as AA or NA.
sing, Michigan
-Co Owners: “We want to give people trying to stay sober a place to not only socialize, meet people, and have
fun, but also engage in their recovery,” Carr said.
Teresa Stokes and
Ayanna Ballard And though recovery is the main theme in starting Wing Heaven Sports Haven, everyone is wel-
come to come in and eat and watch a game. It is not solely a recovery hang out; there is just a zero-
tolerance policy for alcohol and drugs.

With COVID-19 state guidelines still in place, though, capacity will sit at 25 percent until restrictions
are lifted. Carryout and delivery are available.

The sober bar idea has popped up around the country in bigger cities. Detroit has one, as well as
Chicago. It will be a first for Lansing, but it is already garnering attention. People are already pop-
ping into the store to check it out, and former Michigan State University and NBA player Jay Vincent
“People in recovery
recently stopped by to do a photoshoot.
need the option to
be able to go out The grand opening is set for March 15 and will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. For more infor-
with friends and not mation, visit Wing Heaven Sports Haven on Facebook.
worry about seeing
alcohol at the next
table and still be
able to have a great
time.”

Wing Heaven Sports Haven is opening Monday, March 15 at 3812 S. Martin Luther King Blvd.
 Page 3
Volume 1, Issue 3

Black Balloon Day Special Edition

Brian M. Timmer Jr. 8/29/1986 –4/22/2020

Brian was the kind of person who had a smile that would light up a room. He was
always playing & joking around and gave the best hugs. He had a huge heart and he
would be there for you whenever he could.

He was a Father to Isaiah and step dad to Elijah. He was my only child, and was also
a grandson, brother, and a loving uncle to his 4 nephews. He loved hanging out
with his son bike riding, playing Xbox & basketball. His son loves basketball and I
love that he is carrying that on from his daddy.

His constant battle of his demons over his father not being there for him affected
him, but he never showed it. His battle with addiction did not define him as a man.
He fought addiction for about 4 years and was winning his sobriety for just over a
year. He had moved back home and had a great job and was going to meetings and
counseling. He was living his best life ever and promised he would not go back to
that. It was the life he always wanted and he was a great dad. Unfortunately COVID
-19 came and he got laid off, couldn’t go to counseling, and basically couldn’t leave
the house. The week after Easter we thought he was just getting high with Marijua-
na to cope. It never crossed my mind he went back to Heroin. With any addict they
hide their addiction too well. Had any of us known he was using again, we would
have tried to help him before it was too late. He lost his fight on April 22, 2020.

Photo Credit: Kellie Marie Photography LLC

Every day is not the same and as a mother it never will be. His son misses him so much. Life will never be the same for us. Don’t
ever think or say this could never happen to you. Addiction is not a type of person. It is a disease that can grab any one of any
walk of life. Don’t ever take anything for granted. Never miss the opportunity to tell someone you LOVE them. You never know
when it will be your last day. Never give up on an addict; it's a disease that they cannot control.

-All Our Love, Mom and Dad Giganti

Michigan Recovery News Briefs

-Hope Not Handcuffs is coming to Ingham County and the Greater Lansing region. Hope Not Handcuffs is a program started by
Families Against Narcotics that collaborates with local police departments to link substance users to available treatment pro-
grams. Anybody struggling with substance abuse who needs immediate treatment can drop in to any police department or agen-
cy participating in the Hope Not Handcuffs program. They will then be connected to a Hope Not Handcuffs volunteer who will
help them find a bed in treatment. 14 area police agencies in Lansing will now provide this service, including Lansing, East Lansing,
Mason, and Meridian Township Police departments, and the Ingham and Eaton County Sheriff departments.

-Michigan ends ban on food stamp benefits for people with drug charges. Michigan residents who have two or more drug felony
charges on their record were not allowed to receive food benefits through the Mi Bridges program. That is changing now, and it
will allow many people in recovery to start receiving food benefits. Under the old law, any person who had drug charges were not
allowed to receive a bridge card, even if they had changed their lives. Combined with the hardship of finding reliable employment
for felons, this was a major obstacle for people with criminal records who were trying to live productive lives.
 Volume 1, Issue 3 Page 4

Black Balloon Special Edition

Tina Marie Cornman

7/7/1963-5/5/2013

Tina Marie Cornman was a hippie soul,

and also a force to be reconed with. She
loved her family fiercly, and took bull
from no one. She had a husband - David -
and was a proud navy wife for 6 years of
their 25 year marriage. She was also a
Visit our Hope From mother to her one and only child - her
daughter, Jenna. She loved writing poetry
Dope blog to read
from a young age. She graduated as a
more stories. You Medical Assistant in 2004, and loved
can also submit your working with the elderly.
own story of recov- Her celebrity idol was Marilyn Monroe,
ery by emailing us. and she spent years collecting memora-
See back for contact bilia of her. She loved dreamcatchers and
info. anything to do with Native American cul-
ture. Her favorite color was red, and she
enjoyed 80’s movies and true crime
shows. Her academic intelligence was
nothing short of impressive. She was an
avid animal lover, and loved her kitties.

Photo Credit: Emma Gorrell

She witnessed her first grandchild Alaina’s birth, and fell in love with her right away. Unfortunate-
ly, she didn't love herself as much as she did her family, and depression was her vice. She figured
out that abundantly taking her narcotic and depression medications could take her away to a
place where she was numb. Her addiction overcame her. Too many times it almost took her away
from us, and on May 5th, 2013, two months before her 50th birthday, it took her for the last time.
The deep hole of hurt she left behind in her mother, husband, daughter and granddaughter is ir-
reparable. Bringing awareness to overdose victims and their families is important in the fight
against addiction. Now we’re fighting in her memory.

-David, Jenna, and Alaina

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Volume 1, Issue 3 Page 5

Black Balloon Special Edition

Michael “Mike” D. Hannay

1/16/1989 - 9/20/2013

Mike had a way of making you laugh on your worst days. His sense of humor
and wit, paired with his infectious smile, are just some of the many things we
miss about Mike. Mike was so intelligent; he would tell you goofy, random facts
about things you'd never learn anywhere else. He could fix your computer issue
in about 10 minutes. Mike loved skateboarding and longboarding. His family
can still picture him coming down the road on his longboard with his awesome
hair blowing in the wind. He loved music and movies. He would tell you to this
day, that he was the one who taught his sister what "good" music was. Mike
was a big animal lover, just ask his grumpy cat Katie - who he rescued. She still
resides with Mike's mom and dad even though they're not cat people.

Mike and his family were super close, always hanging out, spending time to-
gether; he and his sister Heather were best friends from day one. Mike left be-
hind his only nephew, just six weeks after he was born. Mike also left behind a
group of really good friends who loved him like a brother.

Mike's relationship with opioids began after he crushed his hand in a brake
press at work. Resulting in five surgeries to save his hand and fingers, several
Photo Credit: Kellie Marie Photography LLC doctors and prescriptions later, he was an addict.

His four or so year battle came to an end when he relapsed on September 20, 2013. Mike had been clean for a year and four
months when he died. His autopsy showed he only had a minute amount of heroin in his system and that it was laced with fenta-
nyl, cocaine, numerous muscle relaxers, aspirin, among other things. Mike was 24. Mike was so much more than his addiction;
he had so much life left to live, and left such a void and a hole in his family and friend's hearts. We miss him beyond words, it's
still so surreal that he's gone. If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, tell someone, get help, you are not alone.
Do not be ashamed or embarrassed. Together, we can fight the stigma of addiction.

-Heather

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www.miconnects.com
Facebook.com/hopefromdope
@ConnectsMich

The MI Connects Recovery Newsletter is a bimonthly publica-

tion centered around recovery in Michigan. Our goal is to high-
Publisher/Editor: light personal recovery stories, share important news going
on in the Michigan recovery world, and to provide resources
Aaron Emerson
available to us all.
aaronemerson09@yahoo.com
We need your help, though! Please contact us with anything
Twitter: @aaronemerson09 recovery related that you feel is important for other Michigan
residents to know. Also, if you would like to share your story,
we would love to tell it!