Former NFL player speaks to youth in Serpent River about drug use
March 2, 2018
By Leslie Knibbs
SERPENT RIVER FIRST NATION – Former NFL player Alvin Powell and recovering crack addict spoke to youth and community members on the problem of substance abuse as well as resilience and ways to find the road to recovery from addiction on Feb. 23-24.
Powell told community members he was introduced to crack cocaine in 1985 by a teammate while playing with the Arizona Outlaws, a team in the NFL Seattle Seahawks organization in the United States Football League.
“In three years I was a full-blown addict,” Powell said. He later joined the NFL with the Seahawks in 1987 before moving to Miami to play with the Dolphins in 1989. During these years from 1985 to 1988, Powell struggled with substance abuse. He recalled one night to the audience in Serpent River. “I partied all night till four in the morning, looked at my watch, saw the time and realized I had a drug test in four hours-time at 8:00 am.”
Three years later after starting to use crack, in 1988 Powell went to a treatment center in Montreal, Quebec. He has been clean ever since. Nowadays, Powell, a devout Christian who has a fondness for Gospel music and the Blues spends his life educating others on substance abuse and ways to recovery, all while working with his not for profit organization the Saving Station Foundation based in Montreal, “a non-profit organization dedicated to the elimination of substance abuse by providing the best possible education and prevention activities, strategies and programs.” Powell makes it a point to not discuss religion in any of his presentations.
Objectives of the foundation include:
“To increase student/parent/teacher participation in prevention education.
To assist schools and organizations in the prevention of drug abuse;
To provide education and direction to individuals and families affected by substance abuse (drug, alcohol, medication, etc.) and to the community in general;
To provide, publicize and develop awareness community programs regarding substance abuse;
To assist persons in coping with the effects of substance abuse by offering education and guidance through mutual support group.”
So how did this well-known spokesperson for recovery and the danger of substance abuse end up coming to SRFN to give his passionate and truthful talk to the community? As a result of a chance meeting between this former NFL football player and SRFN Chief Elaine Johnston at the 27th annual Gennaabaajing Traditional Gathering celebrating resilience last year, Chief Johnston thought it would be a good idea to have Powell speak to the community at some point in the future. Following up on this she asked Wellness Youth Worker James Gideon to work on getting Powell back to SRFN to make a presentation. Just after the new year, Gideon started working on having Powell back for a presentation to speak to the youth and community members on his struggles with substance abuse and how it can affect individuals and community.
Feb. 23 saw Powel speaking the truth about drug abuse to over 80 youth in Grades seven and eight at the Lifestyles Centre in SRFN. James Gideon, SRFN Wellness Youth Worker said, “with his talk he had the kids’ attention throughout the two-hour presentation.” Following the talk, many of the students took part in a question and answer period before having lunch with the football great. Gideon said the Q and A had to be cut a bit short in order for the students to have lunch and get back to school in Elliot Lake.
The following day, Powell delivered a passionate message on recovery and prevention. “I’m all about problem solving,” he told community members. Speaking from personal experiences as a counselor, he spoke of how he helps kids in recovery and suffering depression telling them the “best cure for depression is to go out and help someone and not expect any reward (for doing this).” Emphasizing how effective this “helping someone” can work, he said, “my kids volunteer in three places, a children’s hospital, an old folks home and a soup kitchen.”
As well as travelling extensively to promote and educate others on Drug awareness and prevention, Powell has in the past acted in a movie with Morgan Freeman and done stunt action as well as being a bodyguard for Justin Timberlake and Britney Spears. The inspirational stories Powell expressed passionately to the youth and adults attending his presentation will surely generate a stronger resilience for all those who attended.
More information and help are available on Saving Station’s website as well as links to other helpful sites: www.savingstationfoundation.com provides information related to drug awareness.