{"id":54335,"date":"2024-06-24T14:13:26","date_gmt":"2024-06-24T18:13:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/?p=54335"},"modified":"2024-06-24T14:13:26","modified_gmt":"2024-06-24T18:13:26","slug":"batavia-recovery-journey-leads-to-career-at-uconnectcare-melissa-vinyard-living-out-loud","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2024\/06\/24\/batavia-recovery-journey-leads-to-career-at-uconnectcare-melissa-vinyard-living-out-loud\/","title":{"rendered":"BATAVIA\/Recovery Journey Leads to Career at UConnectCare &#8211; Melissa Vinyard: Living Out Loud"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<span class=\"embed-youtube\" style=\"text-align:center; display: block;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"youtube-player\" width=\"900\" height=\"507\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tw29N3KkHd0?version=3&#038;rel=1&#038;showsearch=0&#038;showinfo=1&#038;iv_load_policy=1&#038;fs=1&#038;hl=en-US&#038;autohide=2&#038;wmode=transparent\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" style=\"border:0;\" sandbox=\"allow-scripts allow-same-origin allow-popups allow-presentation allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox\"><\/iframe><\/span>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>By Mike Pettinella<br>UConnectCare Publicist<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Energetic and personable, with a warm sense of humor and jovial laugh, Melissa Vinyard is only half joking when she tells people that she was \u201cpredisposed to be an alcoholic with a last name like Vinyard.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That\u2019s because the 57-year-old Batavia resident was born to an alcoholic mother, who succumbed to the disease in November 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMy mother was my best friend and worst enemy at the same time,\u201d Vinyard said. \u201cShe told me that if I was going to drink, I needed to drink like a lady \u2013 whatever that means.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What it turned out to mean was that Vinyard would become addicted to alcohol and drugs, needing substances to make it through each day. Fortunately for her, however, she broke free from the cycle of addiction and has been in recovery for six years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Moreover, through her connection with UConnectCare (formerly Genesee\/Orleans Council on Alcoholism and Substance Abuse), where she spent time in treatment, Vinyard\u2019s path of sobriety has resulted in her being hired last June as the nonprofit agency\u2019s coordinator of The Recovery Station on Clinton Street Road.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWho would have \u2018thunk\u2019 it after all that I went through?\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vinyard says that her introduction to alcohol started in her mother\u2019s womb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019d like to say I had my first drink in utero because my mother was an alcoholic who drank through her pregnancy,\u201d she said. \u201cI can remember my first few sips of alcohol. My mother loved to entertain and at our Christmas parties she would pretend to hire me to be the waitress. And I would be cleaning up and see the half-drank wine glasses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019d say to myself, \u2018What\u2019s this? Such a really pretty color. I took a couple sips and automatically it was like, this is luscious. I put it in my mouth, and it started to tingle, and I swallowed it and it burned into me. What have I found? I didn\u2019t know actually what I had found but what I knew was that I felt better.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said she didn\u2019t want to lose that \u201cfeeling\u201d and embarked on a life of heavy drinking and drug use.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vinyard grew up in Geneseo, graduating from Geneseo High before helping her mother, Kerry Holmes, run their beauty salon in the village. She became, in her words, \u201ca townie,\u201d partying with the college students and then a \u201chighly-functioning alcoholic\u201d \u2013 consuming large volumes of beers and wine coolers \u2013 with cocaine use mixed in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The oldest of five children, she said she was married twice but both ended in divorce.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI was a good mom; I attended all of my sons\u2019 sporting events, but I wasn\u2019t a good wife,\u201d she admitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vinyard attended Alcoholic Anonymous meetings in Geneseo back in 2010, but she went back to drinking \u2013 even after she was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer and had to undergo a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery. Six years later, she suffered a stroke at work, prompting her doctor to tell her that she was going to die if she kept drinking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI said, \u2018Tell me what I need to do?\u2019 she recalled. \u201cI was too afraid to live and too scared to die.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">With her family\u2019s tough love approach, Vinyard checked herself into the Margaret A. Stutzman Addiction Treatment Center in Buffalo. Just 10 days into her rehabilitation, her mother died of complications from her drinking at the age of 71.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Mourning the loss of her mother and evicted from her home by then fianc\u00e9, Vinyard entered intensive outpatient treatment at GCASA, following by 2 \u00bd years at the agency\u2019s sober living for women residence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI went through all the steps and was in group (therapy) every day,\u201d she said. \u201cGCASA saw something in me that I couldn\u2019t see in myself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vinyard enrolled at Genesee Community College, taking drug and alcohol counseling courses, and stayed in recovery despite suffering major injuries when struck by a car while crossing the street on East Main in Batavia four years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In 2020, Vinyard took a job as a peer advocate with the agency, working at The Recovery Station and in the detox center. She also has assisted in the clinic and on the mobile unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI\u2019m living my recovery out loud because GCASA saved my life,\u201d she said, adding that she since has found spiritual support at a church in Batavia and is leading a spirituality group at The Recovery Station.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Vinyard shared that the \u201cvery first person that I met at church, that greeted me, was a woman named Judy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She said Judy had responded to a call for prayer from Vinyard\u2019s brother and sister. The two women became pen pals and now they keep in touch regularly through her church.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI have found a spiritual connection to Jesus Christ and was baptized,\u201d Vinyard said. \u201cWhen I came up from the water, it felt like the inside of me had taken a shower. It was the first time that my inside matched my outside.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The path to recovery begins with U. At UConnectCare, we want you to work with us. For more information on employment opportunities, go to&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/na01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.uconnectcare.org%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7C%7Cd69d4dde72dc401621db08dc92487c0d%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C638546087221142530%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=wr3uM%2BGI1UzKyBIxqdDvFClnC8umcIicpt9qXs89tZs%3D&amp;reserved=0\">www.uconnectcare.org<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Mike PettinellaUConnectCare Publicist Energetic and personable, with a warm sense of humor and jovial laugh, Melissa Vinyard is only half joking when she tells people that she was \u201cpredisposed to be an alcoholic with a last name like Vinyard.\u201d That\u2019s because the 57-year-old Batavia resident was born to an \u2026<\/p>\n<p class=\"continue-reading-button\"> <a class=\"continue-reading-link\" href=\"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2024\/06\/24\/batavia-recovery-journey-leads-to-career-at-uconnectcare-melissa-vinyard-living-out-loud\/\">Continue reading<i class=\"crycon-right-dir\"><\/i><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":54337,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_seo_schema_type":"","_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[8,23,1],"tags":[4422,3942],"class_list":["post-54335","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-batavia","category-genesee-county","category-uncategorized","tag-melissa-vinyard","tag-uconnectcare"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8eTP4-e8n","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":59258,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2024\/11\/22\/batavia-uconnectcare-inviting-recovery-community-to-friendsgiving-and-santa-claus-events\/","url_meta":{"origin":54335,"position":0},"title":"BATAVIA\/UConnectCare inviting recovery community to \u2018Friendsgiving\u2019 and Santa Claus events","author":"aka","date":"November 22, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Melissa Vinyard and Kevin Green, employees at The Recovery Station, invite the recovery community to holiday events over the next two weeks. Press release\/provided photos UConnectCare is looking to make the holiday season \u2013 starting with two \u201cFriendsgiving\u201d activities in Batavia next week \u2013 a special one for the recovery\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Batavia&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/friendsgiving-2.jpg?fit=873%2C706&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/friendsgiving-2.jpg?fit=873%2C706&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/friendsgiving-2.jpg?fit=873%2C706&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/friendsgiving-2.jpg?fit=873%2C706&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":57147,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2024\/09\/21\/genesee-county-uconnectcare-celebrates-the-recovery-community-with-grand-opening-at-social-club-in-town-of-batavia\/","url_meta":{"origin":54335,"position":1},"title":"GENESEE COUNTY\/UConnectCare celebrates the recovery community with grand opening at social club in Town of Batavia","author":"aka","date":"September 21, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Video of Ribbon Cutting-September 20, 2024\/Video News Service\/Mike Pettinella By Mike PettinellaUConnectCare Publicist No longer \u201ca concept,\u201d The Recovery Station at 5256 Clinton St. Rd. in the Town of Batavia is a welcome option for people in recovery from substance use disorder to socialize in a setting free of drugs\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Batavia&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/trs-ribbon-1-1-1.jpg?fit=704%2C373&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/trs-ribbon-1-1-1.jpg?fit=704%2C373&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/trs-ribbon-1-1-1.jpg?fit=704%2C373&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/trs-ribbon-1-1-1.jpg?fit=704%2C373&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":56599,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2024\/09\/04\/batavia-the-recovery-station-schedules-grand-opening-for-sept-20th-will-stream-nfl-games-on-sundays\/","url_meta":{"origin":54335,"position":2},"title":"BATAVIA\/The Recovery Station schedules grand opening for Sept. 20th; will stream NFL games on Sundays","author":"aka","date":"September 4, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Outside view of The Recovery Station, formerly Bohn\u2019s Restaurant Press release\/provided photos \u201cCome and celebrate the grand opening of The Recovery Station. Be among the first to experience our new kitchen and discover your favorite spot in town.\u201d With that clear invitation, Luke Granger, director of Recovery Services at UConnectCare\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Batavia&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/trs-2.jpg?fit=800%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/trs-2.jpg?fit=800%2C518&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/trs-2.jpg?fit=800%2C518&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/trs-2.jpg?fit=800%2C518&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":51082,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2024\/02\/27\/batavia-first-soul-food-brunch-brings-the-community-together-at-goart\/","url_meta":{"origin":54335,"position":3},"title":"BATAVIA\/First Soul Food Brunch brings the community together at GoArt","author":"aka","date":"February 27, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"UConnectCare employees Kenyetta Reese, Case manager; Sheila Rolle-Smith, Case manager, and Melissa Vinyard, The Recovery Station Coordinator planned the first Soul Food Brunch the beginning of February as a way to bring the community together to share some food and conversation. \"I really just wanted to bring people together, I\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Batavia&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/20240227_112845-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C869&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/20240227_112845-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C869&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/20240227_112845-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C869&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/20240227_112845-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C869&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/20240227_112845-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C869&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":50874,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2024\/02\/20\/batavia-the-recovery-station-to-host-soul-food-brunch-on-feb-27th\/","url_meta":{"origin":54335,"position":4},"title":"BATAVIA\/The Recovery Station to host Soul Food Brunch on Feb. 27th","author":"aka","date":"February 20, 2024","format":false,"excerpt":"Making plans for the Soul Food Brunch on Feb. 27 at The Recovery Station on Clinton Street Road, Batavia are, from left, UConnectCare employees Kenyetta Reese, case manager; Sheila Rolle-Smith, case manager, and Melissa Vinyard, The Recovery Station coordinator. (Provided photo) Please note we had to make a venue change\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Batavia&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/soul-food-brunch-photo-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/soul-food-brunch-photo-1.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/soul-food-brunch-photo-1.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/soul-food-brunch-photo-1.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":63220,"url":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/2025\/04\/02\/genesee-orleans-wyoming-gow-cares-alliance-focusing-on-community-access-to-services-holistic-approach-to-wellness\/","url_meta":{"origin":54335,"position":5},"title":"GENESEE\/ORLEANS\/WYOMING\/GOW CARES Alliance focusing on community, access to services, holistic approach to wellness","author":"aka","date":"April 2, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"Sue Gagne, left, coordinator of the GOW CARES Alliance, with members of her team \u2013 Melissa Vinyard, Sherri Bensley and Cheryl Netter \u2013 at Tuesday\u2019s quarterly meeting at Grace Baptist Church in Batavia. By Mike PettinellaUConnectCare Publicist The first quarterly meeting of the GOW CARES Alliance, formerly known as the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Batavia&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Batavia","link":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/category\/gennesse-county\/batavia\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20250401_142759-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20250401_142759-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20250401_142759-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20250401_142759-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/20250401_142759-scaled.jpg?fit=1200%2C668&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/videonewsservice.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/snapshot_001-7.jpg?fit=1920%2C1080&ssl=1","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54335","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=54335"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54335\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":54336,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/54335\/revisions\/54336"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/54337"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=54335"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=54335"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/videonewsservice.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=54335"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}