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Photo Credit: Veronika PattyProject Redemption

By LAURIE LOISEL
For the Gazette
Published: 8/27/2019 9:22:14 AM

Inspiration for the Project Redemption traveling photo exhibit came to Ashburnham photographer Veronika Patty two years ago while she listened to a woman talk about her experiences as a person recovering from addiction.

“As she was speaking, I was thinking, ‘man, she’s really just like me with the only difference that she struggles with addiction and I don’t,’” said Patty, who works full time in the substance misuse prevention field.

She thought about the misconceptions surrounding people who struggle with drug addiction. Then she devised a plan to use her skills as a photographer to illustrate the notion that there’s really no difference between people in recovery and the rest of the world…

On a sweltering Sunday earlier this month, Patty was at the Northampton Recovery Center at 2 Gleason Plaza with camera in hand for another photo shoot of people in recovery.

When participants arrived, Patty chatted easily with them, asking if there was anything in particular that had been especially meaningful or supportive of their recovery. People participating in the exhibit are encouraged to bring props — or loved ones — for their pictures if so moved.

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