Dartmouth fitness fundraiser raises money for addiction recovery

More than 50 people gathered at a Dartmouth gym to raise money for an addiction recovery program that one family says saved a life. (Hafsa Arif/CTV News)

More than 50 people gathered at a Dartmouth gym on Saturday to raise money for an addiction recovery program that one family says saved a life.

The fundraiser took place at 360 Fit and supported The Helm, a year-long sober living home for men that operates entirely on donations. The annual event is now in its fourth year and has raised more than $9,000.

Gym owner Devin Sherrington organized the fundraiser in honour of his son Reign, who spent a year at The Helm struggling with addiction for much of his youth.

“My son spent about eight years in addiction, and the helm absolutely saved his life,” he said.

Sherrington said families navigating addiction often struggle to find support.

“The hard part as a parent when your child’s in addiction is that you don’t know what to do,” he said. “There’s not a lot of support.”

He described The Helm as a “hidden gem”, noting it does not actively promote itself and relies solely on donations to operate.

Sherrington said the length of the program is a key difference compared to many short-term addiction services.

“A lot of programs out there are short term, but I think people need extra time to be able to grow and feel,” he said.

Reign Sherrington said he knew he was addicted by the age of 14 and struggled for years before entering The Helm.

“I thought I was gonna die young. I didn’t really care about my future. I had no sense of self,” he said.

He said the program helped him find direction and purpose.

“That’s certainly what I found when I was there,” he said.

Now sober and studying at Dalhousie University, Reign continues to take part in the annual fundraiser to support the organization that helped him recover.

“They are able to function because of events like this and individual people and businesses that donate their money and time to The Helm,” he said.

Devin Sherrington said supporters who attend the fundraiser each year have witnessed his son’s transformation.

“They’ve been able to see him going from being addicted to now being a 4.0 grade student in Dalhousie,” he said.

He said his goal is to raise awareness about addiction supports that may not be widely known.

“There are so many amazing things like that out there that are supports that people don’t know about,” he said. “They save lives every single day.”

Reign Sherrington said his message to others struggling with addiction is one of hope.

“If it’s possible for me, then it’s certainly possible for somebody else,” he said.

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