MUNISING, Mich. (WLUC) – A mental health recovery center is taking its members on a sober camping retreat.
The Get Away Drop In Center in Munising is a gathering place for people with mental health diagnoses. Members will soon get away to a cabin for a week of sunshine and reflection.
The Mental Health Camping Retreat takes place Aug. 18 through 22.
“It’ll be a nice getaway, to get away from things that really stress you out from day-to-day,” The Get Away Center Board President Sandra Dwelley said.
Members will do a little bit of everything, from art therapy to fishing, kayaking and swimming. They’ll start each day with a morning meditation and reflection.
“Kind of realizing that, ‘Yes, I’m still alive.’ And it’s okay not to be okay,” The Get Away Drop In Center Director Amanda Storm said. “Then from there we’ll go into a mental health workshop. Anything from talking about your recovery story, anger, anxiety.”
Storm says the center wanted to start this retreat because mental health resources are limited in the U.P.
“Being out of your comfort zone, especially if the member has social anxiety, or if they’re used to being introverted, this is going to help them get out of there,” Storm said. “We say that there’s no growth in the comfort zone, and there’s no comfort in the growth zone.”
Participant Deborah Middleditch says she looks forward to getting 20 of the 50 Get Away Drop In Center members in the same place.
“So we can all get together at once, because there’s so many of us with different schedules. Some of us work part-time,” Middleditch said. “It’s just getting us all together, all there.”
The nonprofit has raised $570 toward its $3,500 donation goal.
To donate to the retreat, you can mail or bring in a check to The Get Away Drop In Center at 226 West Superior Street in Munising.
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