NORWAY — Oxford Hills and its supportive recovery community will get national exposure Wednesday, courtesy of PBS and writer and comedian Baratunde Thurston.

Thurston, the host of the PBS series “America Outdoors with Baratunde Thurston,” will focus on Maine and its traditional winter activities in the final episode of its 2023 season at 8 p.m.

Thurston visited Roberts Farm Preserve on Roberts Road in Norway last February and invited staff from the Western Maine Addiction Recovery Initiative and The HILLS Recovery Center on Tannery Street to accompany him on a snowshoe excursion to learn about the impact connecting with nature can have on people living with substance use disorder.

The show’s production came across a job posting from Western Maine Addiction Recovery Initiative to hire a coordinator for our Recovery Outing program,” Director Kari Taylor said. “They were very interested in our work to help people recover from addiction, support their recovery process and connecting with nature/outdoors.”

“America Outdoors” has been connected to Maine from its inception. Its co-creator is Bill Gardner, vice president of programming and development at PBS and a Maine native, who grew up in the Gardiner area.

“We wanted a show that celebrates the outdoors, to show how people across the county inhabit the world and experience (nature),” Gardner said. “Maine is a great place for winter outdoor activities, it’s not just skiing.

“How people in recovery connect with the outdoors in a story worth telling. It’s a powerful ally for those who have substance use disorder,” he said.

Other excursions that brought Thurston to experience Maine winter traditions included ice harvesting on Thompson Pond in South Bristol, oyster farming in Brunswick, experiential education in Freeport and a polar plunge in York.

“America Outdoors” is focused on its namesake and individuals sharing their stories about finding purpose with nature. At Roberts Farm, it was Taylor’s turn to tell Thurston how the outdoors has become a major resource in helping rural Mainers face and recover from substance use disorder.

Thurston and Taylor were joined by her husband, Justin, and Aaron Ryder, The HILLS Recovery Center intervention and peer support specialist.

The segment featured Norway’s annual Snowshoe Festival and an arcing view of Lake Pennesseewassee.

“Primarily we talked about the significance of the outdoors in our personal recovery experiences,” Taylor said. “We talked about the stigma of addiction and how our outings can help to chip away at misconceptions.

“There was also a lot of emphasis on the unique connection between peers, and that outings provide an activity to focus your attention on while connecting with others in recovery,” she said.

Founded in 2015, Western Maine Addiction Recovery Initiative has grown from grassroots discussions raised by a concerned community to a critical tool against substance use disorder, with the mission of normalizing addiction as a disease that requires treatment and support.

“I want people to know they are not alone and they are worthy of help and getting well,” Taylor said. “I hope it inspires people to find things in life that will bring them joy and peace.

“I am very grateful to PBS, Baratunde, and the “America Outdoors” crew for shining a light on the amazing work being done in our community to support people with substance use disorder and their loved ones,” Taylor said.

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