See why a former roller derby athlete ties on her skates again in Falmouth
FALMOUTH — As the remnants of Hurricane Ian touched down on the Cape on Saturday, Cape Codders were greeted by chilly, windy and rainy weather. Although many may have opted to stay inside with a hot mug of coffee, Jamie Schuh was getting geared up to roller skate 20 miles on the Shining Sea Bikeway
She was doing so as part of her “Roll for Recovery,” an effort to raise money and awareness for people struggling with substance use disorder.
"I think a lot of people struggle with it, and don’t necessarily know that it's OK to ask for help, and I think that’s one of the main things I was trying to do here, is to show that, like, there is another path," Schuh said. "You can find your way out of this disease, and you can recover and be stronger and healthier than you ever were.”
Schuh, 44, is coming up on five years of sobriety, and credits WellStrong Inc., a fitness and wellness community in Falmouth for people in recovery, with helping her on her journey.
WellStrong, an East Falmouth nonprofit founded in 2016, will be the beneficiary of the fundraising effort.
“Roll for Recovery” started Sept. 30 and runs to Oct. 9, where Schuh plans to skate 20 miles a day, or 200 miles. Schuh is determined, she said, to complete the distance regardless of hurdles such as unpleasant, even dangerous, weather.
Schuh had raised $12,674 as of Monday, toward her goal of $20,000.
How did the fundraiser at Bagel Haven in Mashpee get started?
Substance use disorder is rampant on the Cape, and deaths from overdoses are common, Schuh said.
She struggled with alcoholism since her teenage years, and the problem stayed with her until her 40s. As the owner of Bagel Haven in Mashpee, Schuh wonders how she was able to run a business while in the throes of alcoholism.
After hitting “rock bottom,” she said, Schuh began her journey toward sobriety. An integral part of the process was the strength found in communities like Alcoholics Anonymous and WellStrong.
The mission of Wellstrongis to create safe, supportive communities of people in recovery from substance use disorder through fitness, wellness and meditation, according to the website.
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After getting sober, Schuh said running her business became a lot easier.
She got the idea for “Roll for Recovery” after a friend had raised money for WellStrong by doing a running challenge. Schuh, a former roller derby athlete, saw skating as a way she could give back.
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She began training in May, starting out with smaller distances, eventually making her way up to 20 miles. Although at times she was intimidated by the challenge, even second guessing herself, friends at WellStrong kept her on track.
During the “Roll for Recovery,” supporters followed Schuh either on bicycles or in cars along the way.
In addition to raising money, Schuh hopes that her efforts also let people know that it’s OK to reach out for support.
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This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Former roller derby athlete ties on her skates again in Falmouth
