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MinnPost features StepUP Gala honorees

KevinKevin and Polly Hart and Polly Hart, mentors for Augsburg’s StepUP Program, were honored at the annual StepUP Gala for their avid support of the program.

The Harts, who have volunteered with StepUP for several years and are in recovery from addiction, were presented the Toby Piper LaBelle Award for their dedication to serving students in recovery.

Kevin, who is also a StepUP advisory board member, said working with the program has been inspiring. “Being a fellow addict and knowing firsthand what these kids have come through, to hear their stories and see them succeeding in college was very uplifting,” he said.

To read the Harts’ article, visit the MinnPost news site.

White Bear Lake couple will be honored Oct. 24 for dedication to addiction recovery community

Kevin and Polly HartHarts to be recognized at StepUP® Program Gala

(MINNEAPOLIS) – Two leaders in the addiction recovery community will be recognized for their commitment and generosity to Augsburg College’s StepUP® program for students in addiction recovery. Kevin and Polly Hart of White Bear Lake, Minn., will receive the Toby Piper LaBelle Award at the Augsburg College StepUP Program Gala on Oct. 24 at the Hyatt Regency Minneapolis.

“Kevin and Polly have brought so much value to the StepUP program, the students in recovery we serve, and the recovery community as a whole,” said Augsburg College President Paul C. Pribbenow. “We are blessed to call this dedicated couple our friends and are proud to honor them with this award.”

The Harts have given significant time and resources to the College’s program, which is a leader and award-winning model for residential addiction recovery communities at campuses across the nation. Kevin serves on the advisory board for the StepUP Program where he helps guide and shape the program. He also is a board member of The Retreat, a recovery program in Wayzata, Minn. The Harts volunteer countless hours for these programs and also mentor youth in recovery.

Continue reading “White Bear Lake couple will be honored Oct. 24 for dedication to addiction recovery community”

StepUP® Gala – Believe in Yourself

stepupgalaWhat would compel a Texan to travel to Minnesota in February? It’s safe to say she didn’t know about Minnesota winters or that February is still very much winter in the state. But it’s also true that she came to Minnesota to help a friend and because she believes in the work of the StepUP Program.

Kitty Harris, the associate dean of outreach and engagement in the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech University, was the keynote speaker at last weekend’s StepUP Gala. Harris and Augsburg’s StepUP Program director, Patrice Salmeri, are not only colleagues but also friends who have led their respective collegiate recovery programs since they filled the “big shoes” of their predecessors nine years ago. Continue reading “StepUP® Gala – Believe in Yourself”