-Blake Halvorson
Last friday October 24th, I attended the annual StepUP Gala for the first time. This is my first semester at Augsburg and I had no idea what to expect. I was very excited to dress up for the sole reason of recovery. I went out and purchased my first suit and had a lovely date who was also in recovery. . Everyone looked amazing and smiles spread through the crowd. After an hour of socializing we were shown to our tables where there was enough silverware per person to last me a week. The band started playing and a sense of gratefulness came over me. Especially when I got to see all the alumni come up to the front, consisting of teachers, lawyers, doctors, and video producers. It filled me with hope seeing all the alumni and their achievements, and knowing I am following the same path. Another powerful realization was how large the StepUP program is. People from all over the country attended and participated in making not just the StepUP gala happen, but the StepUP program itself. The Gala was the highlight of the semester and I am already excited to bring my mother next year to it. I am very grateful to everyone out there who contributes to this program. Overall, the 2014 StepUp Gala brought me to the realization that I am blessed.