Alpharetta Rotarian Kirk Driskell (left) as the club makes a 2016 donation to CAAG

This year, Rotary’s new public image campaign focuses on bringing the stories of Rotarians and the way they are making in their communities to the public – to help the public understand Rotary and what Rotary does. We encourage you to share your stories with your local communities – and with D6900 Rotarians through the district and the district newsletter. Each month, we plan to feature a D6900 Rotarian as a Person in Action – to inspire us all to do more to make a difference.

This month, District 6900 salutes Alpharetta Rotarian Kirk Driskell as a Person of Action for his personal commitment to making a difference in the fight against addiction and overdose in the community surrounding Alpharetta.

When Kirk was President of the Alpharetta club in 2015-16, the club committed $10,000 to launch a non-profit group called Communities Against Addiction Group (CAAG) to educate the public on the Georgia 911 Medical Amnesty Law “Good Samaritan Law” and Narcan, Kirk said, “I am passionate about this service to the community. I want everyone to know about Narcan and how it can help people who have overdosed to stay alive. I urge you to call 911 if you find yourself in a situation where you or someone you know has overdosed and needs help.”

Kirk has taken that commitment and passion for the issue much farther. Three years ago, he and his wife Deena started Vision Warriors in Alpharetta to support men who were ready to fight their drug and alcohol addictions and commit themselves to core principles that would add value to their lives and their families. Today, the program serves about 30 men who have made that commitment, providing a place to live and connecting them with jobs – many at Kirk’s Alpharetta Service Center & Auto (strong emphasis on customer service, honesty and “making you feel like family” based on Facebook reviews). Everyone in the program has a job, pays rent, has chores, and supports one another in their journey.

“The program is not just about stopping addiction,” Kirk said. “Even when you have dealt with those issues, life can be messy. Our program provides a place to work through those issues, talk openly about concerns and feelings, and take steps toward a better life. Our program is built on three principles – community, transparency, and accountability – to each other and to keeping our priorities straight.”

How can we help? Kirk suggests Rotary Clubs and cities can help to create education and awareness about the addiction/overdose problem, and to identify resources within our local city limits that can help individuals address addiction and overdose, and make a good life for themselves.

Kirk says that his commitment to making a difference on this issue is not just about helping others, but the value it brings to his life too. This past April, he posted on the Vision Warriors website - www.stopoverdosesnow.org - “Today I celebrate 22 years, 8,030 days of living life ‘One Day At A Time’ completely drug and alcohol free.”

And we Rotarians of District 6900 celebrate Kirk’s commitment to the local community.