After Tara Conner talked with children at Daybreak Youth Services about their addiction struggles, the 29-year-old went back to her hotel room and cried for an hour. Then, she did some writing and prayed.
She knows the strife those teens are dealing with. If you Google Tara Conner — as many of the kids at Daybreak did after hearing she was going to visit — you’ll find out that she is a recovering drug addict and that she almost lost her Miss USA crown in 2006 after testing positive for cocaine. She’s been sober almost nine years, thanks to treatment programs and support.
On Monday, Conner talked with patients at Daybreak Youth Services, a statewide alcohol and drug treatment program with facilities in Vancouver. She also spoke at the Heathman Lodge on Tuesday as part of a fundraising luncheon for the nonprofit. Daybreak’s executive director Annette Klinefelter and Conner each sat on an armchair, rather than behind a podium, while talking about recovery. The thought behind the setup was to create a conversation as opposed to talking at people.
[For more of this story go to http://www.columbian.com/news/...-hear-clean-message/]
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