The morning routine includes being welcomed to the running circle by a greeting, a hug and a smile
Back on my Feet is a non-profit organization that works with people living in homeless shelters -- many addicted to drugs and alcohol.The group sponsors run near the shelters to help those in need improve their health and self esteem.Back on my Feet has branches in several cities in the United States
Participants reclaim their life
Nick Finnigan says he is happier and healthier since he started running with Back on my Feet six months ago.His life had spiraled out of control because of drug and alcohol addiction that began when he was 16.His substance abuse cost him his marriage and he’s not been able to hold a job during the past several years.
“I think, I’ll never stop thinking about the drugs.But I just know I can’t go back to that and that’s not what I want. I have 2 kids out there.I haven’t been involved in their lives and I want to be involved in their lives,” Finnigan explains.
The 33-year-old is now living in a homeless shelter called Clean and Sober Streets that offers drug and alcohol rehabilitation programs.Finnigan joins others from the shelter, along with Back on My Feet staff and volunteers, for early morning runs several times each week. He says running with Back on My Feet is helping him get his life back on track.
Frances Thunder, a Back on my Feet volunteer, says no one runs alone. “There’s always somebody running with you to talk over what’s going on in your day, your week, what your struggles are,” she notes.
Organization empowers participants, lift self-esteem
Gretchen Gates, Program Director for Back on My Feet in Washington, says running gives the homeless a sense of accomplishment. “You come to the circle in the morning and you’re greeted with a hug and a smile,” she says, “and you’re a member of Back on Your Feet and that’s the biggest thing we can give people.”
Dena Cooper hopes running with Back on My Feet will help her overcome a drug habit.She made a good living, she says, until drug addiction took over her life.She briefly sought help at Clean and Sober Streets last year, but left to go back to a life that almost destroyed her.
“I felt alone and really lonely,” she says. “And I went back to my comfort zone, and my comfort zone was my friend[s] who get high and that is what I ended up doing.”
Cooper hopes this time will be different, and says running helps her release stress. She is grateful for the help she is getting and would like to begin a new career helping other women who have hit bottom.
Finnigan says it is his goal to get a job and have a place of his own. He says he is determined to stay away from drugs and alcohol and follow his dreams.
Thanks to Clean and Sober Streets and Back on My Feet he sees a better life at the end of his struggle.
Language Notes
get back on one’s feet (v phr) 重新站立；經受打擊後重新站起來
routine (n) 例行程序；例程
non-profit organization (n phr) 非營利組織
shelter (n) 庇護處，避難處
spiral (v) 極速的增長
out of control (phr) 不受控制;失去控制
substance abuse (n phr) 藥物濫用
sober (a) 清醒的
rehabilitation (n) (吸毒、酗酒者或病殘人的）康復 = rehab (較不正式但常用的說法)
get one's life back on track (v) 重新步入正確軌道；恢復正常
晨跑團體每早的例行公事(morning routine)是用親切的招呼、擁抱和微笑來歡迎每位成員。「Back on my Feet」 (重新站起)是一個非營利組織(non-profit organization: NPO)，幫助了許多藥物、酒精使用上癮的人(addicted to drugs and alcohol)。Nick Finnigan是其中一個成員，他從十六歲開始使用藥物跟酒精，生活徹底失控 (spiraled out of control)。藥物跟酒精濫用(substance abuse)的結果，讓他失去了婚姻 (cost him his marriage)，也使他無法長時間的保有一份工作(he’s not been able to hold a job)。現在Nick待在一個街友中心(homeless shelter)，在那有戒癮跟復健的課程(rehabilitation programs)。每周他會跟「Back on my Feet」的員工和義工們一起晨跑數次，他說這讓他的生活重新步入軌道(get his life back on track)。「Back on my Feet」這個組織名是雙關語的用法，本來是指「重新振作起來」的意思，但跑步也的確是用「腳」跑的，所以就是結合了「跑步」跟「重新振作起來」兩個意思。另外，文中使用的片語 "back on track"也是跟跑步有關的雙關語。back on track一詞是指誤入歧途後，重返正常的軌道、道路，這裡的on track也可以指晨跑團體跑步的路徑。可以看的出來，跑步不僅改變生活的作息，身體的運作型態也能直接結合語言層面正面的意義，也就是借由跑步這個動作來展現跑步者要積極表達的正面態度，跑者跑步時也就是一次次的自我暗示跟宣誓作用。
empower (v) 增加（某人的）自主權
self-esteem (n) 自尊心
accomplishment (n) 完成；成就
comfort zone (n) 舒適區
get high (v phr) 吸毒；濫用藥物
hit bottom (v phr) 跌落谷底
Gretchen Gates是「Back on My Feet」的計畫執行長(program director)。她說跑步可以帶給街友一種成就感(a sense of accomplishment)。「Clean and Sober Streets」是一個收納街友，協助戒酒、戒毒的機構，clean除「乾淨」外，指「沒有毒癮、沒有濫用藥物」的，sober則是指「沒有醉的、頭腦清醒的」。Dena Cooper現在也是晨跑會的一員，她曾短暫的去過「Clean and Sober Streets」協求過幫助 (briefly sought help)。但當她回到自己一人，特別感到孤單、孤獨時，卻又逃回了舒適區(comfort zone)，也就是一群藥物上癮、濫用藥物的朋友(friends who get high)。但Dena說這次將不一樣，她期許自己能開始新的人生，也要用自己的力量來幫助其他跌落谷底的女性(other women who have hit bottom)。
Source： http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Running-Group-Helps-Homeless-Get-Back-on-Their-Feet-123751354.html
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