Earlier today, Anthony shared the history of RISE TOGETHER.
How a simple idea sparked a movement, and how voices with lived experience built something that has carried hope, healing, and change into schools and communities across the country.
One week from today, on Friday, September 12, we’ll gather for RISE 12: Our Golden Anniversary. A night of stories, laughter, and live music. — A night to celebrate how far we’ve come. But our work doesn’t end with celebration.
On Saturday, September 13, in partnership with the Opioid Response Network (ORN), we’ll come together again for Stories That Save Lives: A Community Gathering on Prevention, Purpose, and Pathways to Recovery, a free community healing and awareness summit dedicated to the conversations that must follow.
Why Stories Still Matter
For more than a decade, RISE TOGETHER has been built on the belief that stories can heal, connect, and even save lives.
We’ve seen it in classrooms where students finally exhaled because they felt safe enough to share their truth. We’ve seen it in teachers who walked away with new tools to support their students. We’ve seen it in families who found courage to start conversations they’d been avoiding for years.
Stories don’t just raise awareness… they break stigma, they open doors, and they remind people they are not alone.
But stories alone aren’t enough. That’s why we go beyond the stage — to create real dialogue, equip people with resources, and strengthen the networks of support in our community.
What to Expect
Stories That Save Lives: A Community Gathering on Prevention, Purpose, and Pathways to Recovery, presented with ORN, is about more than listening. It’s about gathering to ask: How do we move forward together?
We’ll be creating space to:
- Talk openly about mental health and substance use.
- Share best practices around prevention, intervention, and recovery.
- Equip educators, parents, and leaders with resources and support.
- Collaborate across systems and communities to make change sustainable.
This isn’t about one stage or one story. It’s about making sure every voice can be heard and every life has a chance to heal.
Agenda:
The Stories That Save Lives summit will open with Breathwork & Sound Healing led by Ashley and Loryn from RISE Up Experiences and a display of memorial quilts while also paying tribue to Mandi, a friend and community advocate.
A Youth & Adult Collaboration Panel, moderated by local news anchor and mental health advocate Aisha Puyleart, will feature:
- Jessica Geschke – ORN/OAK, Overdose Prevention
- Brooklyn – RISE Youth Perspective
- Anthony Alvarado – ORN Consultant / Lived Experience
- Jennifer Skolaski – Winnebago County OFR Manager
- Sandy Shaffer – Shaffer Counseling, Treatment & Recovery (Dual Diagnosis)
Attendees will then join breakout sessions on:
- Storytelling & Prevention with Anthony Alvarado
- Treatment & Recovery (Dual Diagnosis) with Sandy Shaffer
- Overdose Prevention & Narcan Training with Jessica Geschke
We’ll close with a Reflection & Action Hour to turn ideas into impact — with breakout takeaways, naloxone access, ally sign-ups, ORN feedback, and ways to support peer-led initiatives.
From Celebration to Conversation
If RISE 12 is our celebration of the past 12 years, Stories That Save Lives is our invitation to help shape the next 12.
One night we’ll celebrate with music, storytelling, and connection. The very next day, we’ll sit down together as a community to go deeper — to have the meaningful conversations, to address the challenges, and work together toward solutions that last.
Because our work has never been about selling tickets — it’s about saving lives. That begins with creating safe, brave spaces where people can show up exactly as they are. And we’ll be doing just that this fall alongside the communities, schools, and organizations we’re honored to work with this Fall — from Seymour and Ripon, to Chuter’s Youth Boxing, Ebb & Flow Cooperative, WI Wins Tobacco Prevention, Penn State College of Medicine, and statewide conferences across Wisconsin.
Join Us
We hope you’ll join us for this special weekend — to celebrate, to connect, to listen, and to lead knowing your positively impacting future generations.
✨ RISE 12: A Night of Stories, Laughter, and Live Music.
Friday, September 12 | Gibson Community Music Hall | Appleton, WI
✨ Stories That Save Lives: A Community Gathering on Prevention, Purpose, and Pathways to Recovery (in partnership with ORN)
Saturday, September 13 | DJ Bordini Center | Free Community Event
Every story matters. Every voice matters. And together, they can save lives.
-> Register Here: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/7c24328
More Details Here: Facebook Event