Celebrating the Power of Rural

To “Celebrate the Power of Rural” and to honor the selfless, community-minded spirit that prevails in rural America, The U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) RCORP-TA hosted a photo contest to showcase the impact of HRSA RCORP grantees’ work across the country. This photo, submitted by Healthy Acadia, taken by Beth Alteri, was selected as 1 of the 10 photo finalists, and was awarded second place out of more than 50 submissions!

Fifty-six pairs of shoes lined the road in Ellsworth, Maine to represent the lives lost in Hancock County to overdose over the last few years. This display was intended to show that these losses are not just numbers, but human beings.

Description: This photo was taken as part of a traveling installation for overdose awareness. This display consisted of fifty-six empty pairs of shoes with a balloon attached to each pair to represent the lives lost to drug overdose from 2017-2021.  The display started at the INSPIRE Recovery Center as part of an Overdose Awareness Day vigil held on August 31st, 2022. The installation then traveled to one area business and then to the local library.  The response from the community was incredible! People stopped to view the display and asked questions. Words we heard from community members about the display included heartbreak, haunting, and loss, but the most common word heard was hope. This display has helped to destigmatize substance use disorder in a profound way. - Beth Alteri, Healthy Acadia

You can see all of the submissions and winners by clicking here.

Healthy Acadia works to support people of all ages to live lives free of substance misuse and substance use disorder, and to support individuals throughout their recovery journey. Click here for more.