“Everyone needs someone,” Jim Stitt said to his team. The Education Department of Family Recovery Center’s Columbiana and Jefferson county offices gathered Monday morning for an exercise designed to be, not just fun, but to learn more about each other and also to get outside and make a difference in the lives of others, one small task at a time. It was a photo scavenger hunt. If you saw groups of people wearing long-sleeved gray shirts designated Family Recovery Center, you may have wondered what was up.

“FRC is known as the drug and alcohol recovery house, but we are more than that,” Stitt said. We want to help with mental health.” As a retired elementary and high school principal, he is concerned about the health and well being of the “kiddos.” His goals include helping school guidance counselors with the addition of social workers. His team already is involved in most school districts in the county.

Before he dismissed them for the scavenger hunt, the team viewed a video presentation given by Capt. Charlie Plumb, a retired Navy fighter pilot who speaks of his nearly six years as a prisoner-of-war at the Hanoi Hilton in Vietnam from May 1967 to February 1973. When the plane was hit, he ejected and parachuted down into enemy hands. He uses the story as an analogy: Who packs your parachute?

Plumb noted that the person who packs parachutes is pretty much not noticed, is a behind-the-scenes kind of person that nobody really thinks about. But actually, this person is vital to the well-being of others. And this applies to everyone because “everyone needs someone.”

Who packs your parachute? Who has saved your life or made a difference in your life and how you choose to live it? Who has taught you your best lessons in life? Who is the wind beneath your wings?

Jim gave the two teams a list of 21 photo ideas for the scavenger hunt. As they set out he told them to let people know that FRC is more than the recovery from alcohol and drugs house. “We want to help with mental health, too.” They were instructed to meet at Italo’s at 12:15 for lunch.

According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), “Nearly one in five children have a mental, emotional, or behavioral disorder, disruptive behavior disorder or Tourettes syndrome.” But only about 20 percent of the children with these problems have access to the care they need. Investigating emergency departments, the CDC found that less than half of them had policies in place to care for children with mental health and social concerns.

Before the pandemic, the need for access to mental health care was a public health concern. The crisis has increased need. Families are on waiting lists for not just appointments for care, but for diagnoses, crucial moments when they are in the thick of the issues.

The teams completed their assignment and returned to share what they had learned from the adventure assisting folks with fueling up and loading purchases into their cars to introducing themselves to other agencies and law enforcement, to connect with community. It was a successful venture with a clear message: good health and well being in our communities is a team effort. Everyone is a stakeholder.

Family Recovery Center offers mental health services as well as addiction services. The goal is for the health and well-being of all. For more information about the education, prevention and treatment programs for substance abuse and related behavioral issues, contact the agency at 964 N. Market St., Lisbon; phone, 330-424-1468; or email, info@familyrecovery.org. Visit thewebsite at familyrecovery.org. FRC is funded in part by United Way of Northern Columbiana County.