Friends of the Maui Drug Court president to speak at Aloha House celebration

For Immediate Release:
Dec. 4, 2007

Contact:
David Raatz, Administrative Assistant, Friends of the Maui Drug Court
808.276.3488
friendsmauidrugcourt@gmail.com

Friends of the Maui Drug Court president to speak at Aloha House celebration; Schlesinger offers unique perspective on Mayors Tavares

KAHULUI, Hawai`i - Dr. Larry Schlesinger, board president of Friends of the Maui Drug Court, will keynote the Aloha House 30th anniversary celebration at Maui Beach Hotel tomorrow night.

Aloha House provides substance-abuse and mental-health treatment for clients throughout Maui County. Aloha House serves Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court clients under a contract with the Judiciary.

Maui County Mayor Charmaine Tavares will also be speaking at the event. In 1987, Schlesinger spoke at the Aloha House 10th anniversary celebration, along with then-Mayor Hannibal Tavares, Charmaine's late father.

"I am privileged to help honor Aloha House's three decades of great work for the Maui County community," said Schlesinger, believed to be the world's only board-certified plastic surgeon who is also certified in addiction medicine. "It is a thrill to be joined by a Mayor Tavares once again, 20 years later.

"The Tavares family's historical and continuing support for addiction recovery is a special gift to the people of Maui County and the State of Hawai`i. I am honored to provide a link from Tavares father to daughter in the history of Aloha House."

Friends of the Maui Drug Court is the charitable organization that supports the programs of the Maui/Moloka`i Drug Court of the Second Circuit Court in Wailuku.

"The Aloha House's professional and compassionate staff plays a vital role in the Drug Court's success," Schlesinger said. "The Drug Court is able to provide effective treatment instead of incarceration to non-violent offenders because of Aloha House's excellence."

Schlesinger is also president of Pu`ulu Lapa`au, a non-profit organization that assists impaired and disruptive physicians in Hawai`i in dealing with chemical dependency and anger management.

Schlesinger said his purpose in life - his raison d'etre - is "to stay clean and sober and help other alcoholics and drug addicts to achieve sobriety."

That's what's driven him to not only professional success, but also to more than two decades of philanthropy and volunteerism for the benefit of Maui County's people.

"I am a living, breathing example that long-term successful recovery is possible," said Schlesinger, who has 24 years of continuous and successful recovery and who is also a visiting professor at three medical schools.

Schlesinger was named Physician of the Year by the Hawai`i Medical Association in 2000, largely in recognition of his volunteer work with homeless people, assisting Judge Shackley Raffetto in founding the Maui Drug Court and helping impaired physicians throughout the state.

"But if you look at it closely, all I did was follow the rules I was taught in 1983 – don't drink or use, and help other drug addicts and alcoholics to achieve sobriety," Schlesinger said. "What I am saying is that I was chosen Physician of the Year because I was a drug-addicted alcoholic in recovery – ain't that amazing!"

Schlesinger said he wants to help other addicts feel a similar sense of amazement as they embark on the "wild journey" of recovery. He commends the dedicated community members - such as Judge Raffetto, the Mayors Tavares and Aloha House clients and staff - who have helped provide purpose to so many lives.

For more information, please visit the following websites:

Aloha House -
http://www.alohahousemaui.com/

Pu`ulu Lapa`au -
http://puululapaau.info/

Friends of the Maui Drug Court -
http://mauidrugcourt.info/
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