State seeks input on recovery monument

Mar. 10—Newton resident Doug Griffin, a mourning dad and hard-fought advocate for addiction recovery services, is among a group of Granite Staters planning a first-of-its-kind recovery monument.

State statute has established a commission to oversee the location, design, construction, and maintenance of the monument, while an online survey seeks input on what exactly it will look like.

"Nothing has been determined yet," Griffin said. "Location, et cetera, we want to hear ideas first."

Griffin, whose 20-year-old daughter Courtney died of an overdose in 2014, is partnering with others in his position, state officials, treatment specialists, people in recovery and impacted families for this project.

He hopes the monument will be a place to sit and reflect — possibly on benches dispersed across the state's vast rail trail system — or to encourage someone in need to find their path to recovery.

The deadline to respond to the anonymous online survey is April 1.

Participants are asked about their background: whether they are in recovery, a friend or family member of someone in recovery, or have lost a loved one to addiction.

There is space to explain personal vision for a monument, examples of existing memorials found to be impactful, and which environment it should be in.

Anything not wanted on this monument can be noted as well.

"Every cent for this project will be through citizen contributions," Griffin said. "There will be no state or federal funding."

Any money remaining in a special account after construction of the monument will be used for its care, maintenance, repair, and additions, law states.

Funds left in the special account after annual care and the like will be deposited in the state's alcohol abuse prevention treatment fund.

Find the survey online at bit.ly/nhrecoverysurvey