Entrepreneur to Talk Addiction, Recovery at STORM Event in Maple Ridge

From addict to entrepreneur, the owner of a North Vancouver soda company will share his struggles and successes with an audience in Maple Ridge.

Kirk Buxton, founder of Kirk’s Probiotic Soda, will be the keynote speaker at this year’s Speaking Through The STORM event at the ACT Arts Center, an evening organized by Stop Overdose Ridge Meadows, or STORM, that revolves around meaningful discussions on the toxic drug crisis.

Buxton spent years battling drug abuse until one day in 2017 he decided he would end his life: He took off his seat belt while driving on the Sea to Sky Highway and then drove into a rock wall .

According to his website and an online article by Richard Forzley in Kitsbeach Magazine, he survived the accident and instead turned his efforts to turning his life around.

Buxton entered recovery and would eventually become a chef at the treatment center.

She began learning about probiotics while trying to deal with bloating, low energy, and mood swings, and began experimenting with water kefir, a probiotic drink made from combining sugar water and grains. of water kefir, and eventually created a soft drink that he turned into a successful business. .

The event will focus on his personal experiences as an addict and his transition from the streets to recovery.

“I will also provide a perspective on what it will take to end the crisis,” Buxton noted.

Jerrica Hackett, with STORM, said they’ve also been working with their own colleagues this year, who work directly with their team in Maple Ridge.

“They will both share their stories, discussing substance use, stigma and resilience,” Hackett said.

Last year, the inaugural Speaking Through the STORM event featured speaker and advocate Guy Felicella who shared his story.

STORM is a community action team serving the Maple Ridge, Pitt Meadows, Katzie and Kwantlen regions.

Community Action Teams are funded through the Overdose Emergency Response Center funding stream of the Community Action Initiative, Hackett explained.

“We aim to provide a community response to the toxic drug crisis. Working at the local level, we bring together the organizations, supports and services that serve our area and work directly within this crisis,” he explained.

Speaking Through the STORM takes place from 6-9pm on Friday, November 8th at the ACT Arts Centre, 11944 Haney Place.

Tickets are free and available on Eventbrite.

Catering will be available at Kanaka Kitchen and donations will be accepted for STORM’s outreach program, including: gift cards, winter clothing, toiletries and non-perishable snacks such as granola bars, fruit or bags of fruit.