The Bristol Health Equity Zone hosted its first Recovery Rally on Town Common Saturday from noon-3 p.m., aiming to encourage those going through the addiction recovery process and help others just starting down the path to recovery. 

“We are celebrating people considering recovery or in recovery,” Emily Spence, of the Bristol Health Equity Zone, who organized the event. “We want to help them get the information and the help that they need."

A number of speakers are expected to share their personal experiences dealing with addiction or helping a loved one overcome the disease. Among them was Melissa Milhomens, founder of local group Hope is Alive, who organized a similar rally in August at Independence Park.

Hope is Alive is one of several local and statewide organizations that attended the rally to distribute information to the community. CODAC Behavioral Healthcare, Anchor Recovery, Bristol-Warren STAND, PONI (Preventing Overdose and Naloxone Intervention) and the RI Department of Behavioral Health Care are among the dozen or so organizations that took part.

The rally also featured plenty of family entertainment, including live music by Colby James, a karate demonstration by Ernie’s Karate, Zumba and Yoga classes from Bristol Total Fitness and demonstrations by the Bristol Police and Fire departments.