Editors, Vineyard Gazette:

’Tis the season to offer gratitude for the generosity of others. Those of us who have the privilege of working in Martha’s Vineyard Community Services New Paths Recovery Program want to give our thanks to Island businesses and community members who have been integral to the success of this program.

New Paths is an adult intensive addictions recovery program, the first of its kind on the Island. The program supports development of specific skills to address the challenges of early recovery and to minimize the risks of relapse. We have now been in operation for two and a quarter years and have served over 200 Islanders.

We thank Cronig’s Market and Stop & Shop for weekly donations of baked goods and fresh food for our group snacks. We appreciate FLY Yoga and Sherry and Rob Sidoti for the donation of yoga mats and blocks. Thank you to Arlene Stark Prisco for offering our Yoga for Recovery class. We also thank Grace Church and the regional high school for assisting us with space for the yoga class.

Perhaps most important, we are grateful to our New Paths peer leaders. We honor your anonymity, but you know who you are and we would not be the same program without you. Finally, we offer our thanks to Island 12-step programs — the fellowship of women and men who meet to do the work of recovery, one day at a time. You provide 24-hour experience, strength and hope to us all.

We invite anyone who thinks New Paths might be of help to call 508-693-7900, extension 397 to find out more about this program that has such wonderful community support.

Jill De La Hunt, Vineyard Haven