Friday, December 11, 2015: Phil "Right Click" Valentine, executive director of the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) and his wife Sandy "Trail Angel" Valentine regaled an audience of more than 200 people with Appalachian Trail (AT) stories at the historic Cheney Hall in Manchester, CT. Using slides, photos and an informal conversational format, Right Click described trials, tribulations and conquests while Trail Angel shared similar experiences supporting the 6-month hike from home. The power of personal recovery (Phil 27 years, Sandy 23 years) served as an underlying, inspirational theme of the presentation titled #continue.
The audience, riveted as they shared about navigating through stage 4 cancer in 2010 and Phil's call to walk the Appalachian Trail, laughed loudly when they heard Sandy's response to the call. Sandy humored him by saying with a nod and a smile, "Sure honey, sure. You're so cute." Phil was well aware of what the "you're so cute" phrase was code for. Ultimately, Phil would begin the hike on March 19th, 5 years from the day he was diagnosed.
On Friday, as the couple recalled many adventures, some downright miraculous, Phil talked about the 229 miles the AT covers through Pennsylvania. The trail, although not difficult in ups and downs, tormented and damaged his feet through miles and miles of sharp, jagged rocks. In this segment, even the audience joined his cry of "Pennsylvania SUCKS!"
The hike culminated on September 23rd on a brilliant, perfect, sunny day when Phil "Right Click" Valentine, summited Mount Katahdin in Maine. For Right Click, the emotional conclusion was not on the actual summit but when he collapsed into Trail Angel's arms waiting at the base. When the last slide was shown, a sign that read "Welcome Home Right Click", the audience stood, shouted and clapped.
Together, they have pledged to share their journey of faith wherever they can. If you are interested in having Phil and/or Sandy come to speak to you about this incredible experience, please contact chiara@ccar.us.
On behalf of CCAR, Phil and Sandy we'd like to extend a sincere thank you to those who attended, donated and supported throughout this journey. All proceeds from the event went to the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) a non-profit 501c3.
Care to hear from Phil on his journey?
Want to have him speak to your agency or at an event?
Send your emails to chiara@ccar.us
Life at Home
Heading to Maine tomorrow morning and I'm so excited I can't sleep. I would welcome your prayers for the long drive I'll have and that I can set up my 8 person tent alone without hurting it or myself. Lol. And unlike my husband, I'd prefer to avoid any and all encounters with moose and bear.
Please pray for all my kids. I know they all wish they were going with me. I will do my best to capture it on film, and give Phil all their hugs until we can all be reunited.
Miles Remaining 64.3 (as of 9 a.m.)
The group did 18.4 miles on Friday over 4 peaks. Still on track to come out of the 100 mile wilderness on Tuesday a.m....or even Monday night
Miles remaining 144.2 as of 1 p.m. He has reunited with his hiking buddies and they hope to slice off another 8 or so miles and finish this Sunday at Bald Mountain Brook Lean-to.
Life on the Trail
Phil camped solo last night, and had a chance to be on speaker phone as M&M and I enjoyed dinner with friends. Their enthusiasm lifted his spirits. He'll catch up with his fellow hikers this a.m. and head into Stratton for a five day re-supply. They are navigating the Bigelow Mts. - lots of ups and downs. As he said, climb a mountain, descend a steep mountain, cross a stream, climb a mountain, descend a mountain.... - for the next 48 or so miles. Then they expect to be at the same altitude for a while and the 100 mile wilderness. On Tuesday night, they camped by a logging road and Mockingbird heard a large animal sniffing around their tent. She woke Dr. Pickles who couldn't remember exactly what to do, so shouted "HEY!!!" and scared of a moose who galloped away like thunder. Phil was grateful the moose didn't get caught up in his tent and drag him with him. I wish I had a live cam for that scene!
214.7 Miles Remaining
Life on the Trail
Phil called this morning from the top of Saddleback Mountain. I could hear the wind blowing and Phil said it was cold and locked in with clouds so not much of a view. They were sweating in the heat at the bottom, so they are flexing between big changes in weather often now. They re-supplied in Rangeley, ME on Monday, headed back to trail and had a campfire at night and roasted hot dogs to celebrate Labor Day.
Phil Valentine is the Executive Director of the Connecticut Community Addiction Recovery (CCAR). He has been an integral component in this Recovery Community Organization since January 1999. An accomplished speaker and presenter, Phil has gained recognition as a strong leader in the recovery community. In 2006 the Johnson Institute recognized his efforts with an America Honors Recovery award. Under his leadership, in 2008, Faces and Voices of Recovery recognized CCAR with the first Joel Hernandez Voice of the Recovery Community Award as the outstanding recovery community organization in the country. In 2009, the Hartford Business Journal named Phil the Non-profit Executive of the Year. Currently, he is spearheading CCAR’s effort to build a statewide network of Recovery Community Centers that feature innovative peer recovery support services like Telephone Recovery Support, All-Recovery Groups and Recovery Works! Employment Services.
Mr. Valentine has been instrumental in the development of CCAR’s highly-acclaimed videos "Putting a Face on Recovery!", “The Healing Power of Recovery” and “Legacy of Hope: Recovery Elders Video Project.” He served as CCAR’s point man for the first seven annual “Recovery Walks!", held for those in support of recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction. He has designed and facilitated several trainings including the "Recovery Perspective – Beyond the Treatment Episode" and "The Language of Recovery".
Phil has willingly shared his experience and expertise with other Recovery Community Organizations in Connecticut and across the country and throughout the world. In recovery since December 28, 1987, Phil, believes that by being public about his own recovery from alcohol and cocaine addiction, he can help ease the discrimination surrounding addiction and recovery and to "soften the community" to recovery. He is married and has five children; his favorite hobbies are surf fishing, playing golf and watching movies.
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