A new 12-step addiction group called Celebrate Recovery will be held every Friday from 7 to 9 p.m. starting Friday April 16 at the New Life Assembly of God Church located at 407 Schuylkill Avenue in Tamaqua.

The program helps with any type of addiction and is instructed and coached by community volunteers and some prior addicts.Recover head coach Phillip Rabayda states, "The program we are offering is called Celebrate Recovery. Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered and Bible-based 12-step Recovery Program with the purpose of focusing God's healing power through fellowship with others."Anyone in need of recovery of any type of addiction can participate in Celebrate Recovery. The program is free, non-denominational, and anyone can start at any time. Rabayda and a few other coaches were once addicts themselves. They succeeded the Celebrate Recovery program themselves and furthered themselves by going through a one-year long in-patient training and teen challenge training.Drew Strohl, co-recovery leader and past addict, stated, "There is nothing like this around. We are offering people a broader scope of recovery." We are people helping people." Vanessa Rabayda said, "This is a passion of ours. We don't want this to happen to anyone else." Phillip added, "This tried and proven system uses the traditional methods of groups, sponsors, accountability partners, and special events to build recovery for those struggling with addictive habits, codependency, and other life experiences that affect or control us."For more information about this program contact the recovery leader at

cr_tamaqua@yahoo.com or call 570-805-4054 or 570-668-4059 and leave a message. Rabayda added, "Addiction has its seasons, you will realize you are powerless over it. Get help while you still have power over it."