Former addictions boot camp thrives

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MUSKOKA - Former drug addicts celebrated their accomplishments in overcoming addictions, fears and personal barriers at a graduation ceremony of sorts on Tuesday.
Seven former drug addicts graduated from boot camp on Tuesday, Dec. 18, receiving their certificates minutes before jumping into the final competitive workout of the camp.
The graduates were the second group of boot campers to successfully complete the program which was designed by the District of Muskoka in July to help former addicts on Ontario Works rise above their circumstances with renewed hope and a future to work toward.
Cathy de-Vigneaux attended boot camp for the first time this fall, sweating it out next to her fellow campers and staff, following the graduation ceremony as they split into two groups competing in one-arm dead lifts, speed cycling, and jump rope competitions to see who could “double under” with the rope the most often. Along with intense, but friendly, competition, boot campers also learned tips to be able to continue the workouts at home on their own.
“We’re all moving forward with vision, so it’s really uplifting and encouraging,” she said.
Her goal is to become a volunteer, then move to a part-time job, eventually landing a full-time job. She is considering becoming a mentor for the next boot camp, but is giving herself some time to think about the matter, “because my step forward may be a bigger one than I think right now,” she said.
Tina Godfrey is one of two graduates from the first boot camp who returned as a mentor to help the second group through the challenges of boot camp. Sobering up after a 19-year drug addiction when her children were taken away from her, Godfrey gave up smoking during the first boot camp and is now planning to go to college to take a course in addiction work so she can help others. In the meantime she’s planning to return again as a mentor for the next boot camp.
“It’s been awesome just helping everybody getting used to what they’re doing,” she said of her time as a mentor. “It’s just nice to be helpful, to let them know I’ve been there, they can pull through it.”
Godfrey said she would like to move to Huntsville so she is closer to CrossFit Muskoka, where the boot campers meet twice each week to work out.
“I really enjoy it, it’s changed my life totally,” she said, “I’m so much healthier, I interact more at home, I go to the Y after this. I have energy.”
The boot camp has had an effect on the staff involved as well.
Naomi Greenberg, employment case manager in Gravenhurst, said helping with the program is influencing how she works with her 175 clients.
“I feel now if I can lift 170 pounds off the floor, I can pretty much do anything,” she said. “I try to instill the same level of confidence that I’ve built from here in my clients on my own case load. My thing is the sky’s the limit.”
Greenberg aims to help people work with what they’re capable of doing, which may include applying for more training or education or buying more equipment so they can get a job.
“I think everybody has improved their level of confidence, their level of fitness, their knowledge of health, well being, eating healthy, working together as a team,” she said. “These are all things that are integral of getting a job, showing up on time, working together with people, working through challenges, those are the skills you’re going to need to transfer through to the workforce.”
The next boot camp begins on Feb. 1.

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