Dan Cantine spent exactly one hour in retirement before heading back to an office.

One day last December, Cantine retired from his job at the city at noon. By 1 p.m., he was project director for the 12/24 Club.

Though he had been involved with the recovery club since it began 17 years ago, the program had never needed a leader before.

But with a capital campaign to raise money for a new center downtown and a growing number of people needing its service, it was time for Cantine to take the helm of the substance abuse recovery center he helped create after his long battle with addiction.

"Whether people know it or not, they are around someone who is in recovery - a coworker, a neighbor, a friend," Cantine said.

An estimated 22 million Americans suffer from addiction, and Cantine knows he can't reach them all. That doesn't stop him from trying, at least for the people in Central Wyoming.

The 12/24 Club is a resource for many people in Casper. If they can't talk to him as a person in recovery himself, they can find a sponsor, a friend or an entire group meeting if they are struggling with their addiction.

"This is they type of issue that is hard to talk about," Cantine said. "You can't just go to the coffee shop and start talking about it."

About 17 years ago, Cantine and eight other Casperites saw the need for some type of 24-hour facility for people in recovery besides inpatient treatment.

Some people have already been through an inpatient program and still need help staying on the right path. Others can't afford the time off from work for such an intense program.

Someone is at the club 12 hours every day. The program offers a safe place for people having a "bad day" or needing advice to stop in to talk with someone.

"It's people helping people," Cantine said.

And he has seen the program work time and time again.

Recently, two former clients walked into the club to show Cantine their college diplomas: one from Casper College and the other from the University of Wyoming.

"Just five, six, seven years ago, they basically had no future because of substance abuse," Cantine said.

Substance abuse breaks down people's entire lives, including relationships, finances, careers and health.

They lose friends, family and jobs.

Many of the people who seek help at the 12/24 Club come in a mess. Many leave college graduates, employed, ready to be parents and productive members of the Casper community.

"I faced these problems for a long time," Cantine said. "A little over 23 years ago, some people helped get me started on the right path. I have seen my life grow to turn around and it's a pleasure to see other people turn their lives around."

He has also enjoyed watching the community's perception of substance abuse and recovery change.

There used to be a stigma attached to substance abuse, but Casper has become more accepting of people in recovery, Cantine said. It has slowly realized addiction is a problem and reduced the stigma.

He said there are many more resources as well as people involved in substance abuse prevention and recovery.

"Maybe a parent is worried about a child or vice-a-versa," Cantine said. "Or even businesses, especially in this economic climate. Most are good employees and businesses will reach out."

And every time someone walks out of the 12/24 Club free from addiction, Cantine enlists his or her help, too.

It is key for people in recovery to help others, and what better way to help than to work with others at the beginning of their recovery journey.

Cantine said he asks each and everyone of them to "pay it back" and help someone with substance abuse problems.

Even though it drew him out of his retirement, that is exactly what Cantine has done.

Contact health reporter Allison Rupp at (307) 266-0534 or allison.rupp@trib.com.

Honoring Dan Cantine

On Sept. 12, Dan Cantine will be one of thousands of people of will walk across the Brooklyn Bridge in support of recovery during the Second Annual Recovery Rally in New York City.

More importantly, he will be honored as one of the 51Recovery Delegates. Cantine will represent Wyoming.

All of the delegates have been in recovery for at least 10 years and will share their stories with the media and the public as well as lead the procession across the bridge.

Though Cantine usually rides his bike from Casper to New York City this time of year for a motorcycle recovery ride, he said he is excited to take a plane to be a part of A&E's Recovery Project, which sponsors the Recovery Rally.

He said he wants to see what other people are doing in other states to help people reach recovery and stay in it.

Recovery Week

They are calling it the Recovery Week, but events stretch just a day short of two. Beginning Saturday, recovery agencies and the 12-24 Club will present a series of events meant to raise awareness about addiction and money to help people win the fight.

* Fourth Annual Recovery Rocks Fest 2009: Dan Cantine, project director for the 12/24 Club, remembers the man drawing back, watching the people at a Recovery Rocks Fest connect and have fun, but unable to join in himself. The man had forgotten how to have fun without the help of drugs and alcohol.

This is just what this event is meant to do: Show people in recovery how to enjoy their lives again. Throwing a football, talking with friends, bringing their families outside for a community picnic.

This year's Fest is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Washington Park. It features live music with "Flashback," children's games and face painting, and other activities all day long. Free food will be served.

* Recovery Rally: This is the annual fundraiser of the 12-24 Club and raises money for operations - keeping the lights on and the furnace running, so to speak.

This year, the rally committee put out a call to band members of Casper's primeval rock era. Unexpectedly, their call was answered.

Several bands who were once at the center of the Casper music scene in the 1950s, 60s and 70s have reunited: The Eddies & Butterfat (now called the No Class Reunion Band), the NoVells, Chinook and the JD Blues Band.

Organizers are also reaching out to other former band members from long ago: The Monday People, Canterbury Glass Shop, Arnolt and the Raspberries, Prophet and the Predictors, The RevTones, Tone Lords and other bands who rocked Casper in the 60s and 70s.

The Rally is from 6 to 10 p.m. Sept. 19 at the Parkway Plaza. Tickets are $15 in advance, $17 at the door; available at Sonic Rainbow, Casper Events Center, S.A.M.E. Music and the 12-24 Club.

For tickets, donations and information, call Dan at 259-5263.

* Art show: Some of the former band members playing at the Recovery Rally now make their living as artists. A show of eight artists - four from the reunited bands, four from the local area - will accompany the Rally. The show will open Sept. 18 and the art will be auctioned Sept. 19. Proceeds will benefit the 12-24 Club.

Internationally-shown artist Paul Huber will donate 100 percent of the proceeds from the sale of an original oil painting to the club.

* The After Party: This will feature art sales, music and a chance to reconnect with old friends. It will be Sept. 24 at The Wolcott Galleria, 136 S. Wolcott, in the old Oddfellows building.

Advance tickets are $10, $12 at the door; available at any of the Wolcott Galleria Merchants. Call Charles at 267-8231 for tickets or more information.