Rochester Recreation Department Joins Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative

ROCHESTER — City Manager Blaine Cox and Recreation & Arena Director Chris Bowlen are pleased to announce the Rochester Department of Recreation & Arena has joined New Hampshire’s Recovery Friendly Workplace (RFW) Initiative, which provides resources and training to staff directly or indirectly impacted by substance abuse or addiction.

The department is committed to ensuring its team members feel healthy, connected and supported as part of its overall mission to promote healthy lifestyles and foster meaningful community connections. 

The RFW Initiative aims to erase the stigma associated with substance use and position them to better handle issues in their personal lives — including addressing the impact of the nationwide opioid epidemic on friends and family — as well as support program participants and members of the community.

Rochester’s department of Recreation & Arena employs eight full time staff members and upwards of 60 seasonal employees, including both the youngest and oldest employees on the city’s payroll.

“We have staff members who are all at different stages of their life,” said Lauren Krans, Assistant Recreation Director, “so we want to be sure we are treating our staff with the same level of support and compassion that we do our customers.”

The program is designed to promote overall employee physical health and mental well being, provide a safe place for employees to ask for help for themselves or their loved ones and connect employees with appropriate local resources, including SOS Recovery.  

“This initiative is about providing a supportive environment for our employees and empowering them with training and knowledge about local resources,” Krans added.  

Led by Governor Chris Sununu, the initiative provides workplaces with the resources to support employees in theirs or a loved one’s recovery. Rochester Recreation & Arena joins nearly 100 designated Recovery Friendly Workplaces across the state, including the city of Concord, Easterseals New Hampshire, and Harvard Pilgrim Healthcare.

In addition to serving Recreation & Arena Department staff, the program will inform staff on resources available to the public and ultimately lead to a higher level of understanding around substance abuse and addiction.

For further information about the Recovery Friendly Workplace Initiative, visit the program’s website, www.recoveryfriendlyworkplace.com.

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