People in addiction often fear law enforcement. In Biddeford, they met on a softball field.
Recovery Softball BBQ Unites Biddeford’s Law Enforcement and Those in Sobriety on Field of Hope
On a damp Wednesday night, September 30, 2026, Martel Field in Biddeford transformed into a place of community and celebration as the sixth annual Recovery Softball BBQ drew 150 people from Maine’s recovery and law‑enforcement circles. The event, organized by Ryan and Cynthia Paige of AccessDirect Recovery Network, featured two co‑ed teams—Hope Hustlers and Resilient Riders—who competed in a friendly softball match amid booths from local vendors, a new dunk tank, and a barbecue that kept the crowd fed and energized.
The heart of the gathering was its mission: to break down the stigma that often separates people in recovery from the police they once feared. “When you look at the field it can be hard to tell who’s a cop and who’s a person in recovery,” Ryan Paige, who himself has spent years in recovery, said as he stepped onto the mound to deliver the ceremonial first pitch. “That’s the whole point of this event.” The game was held in a park that hosted the first four editions of the Recovery Softball BBQ and has grown to include participants from sober houses, long‑term care facilities, and treatment programs across the state.
Players with Stories
The Hope Hustlers’ lineup boasted 26‑year‑old Tia Lavigne, a former Buxton resident who had struggled with substance use since childhood. Lavigne, who had been sober for more than two and a half years, described the event as “the only time I felt comfortable playing ball.” She recalled being given alcohol by an adult at nine and making “a lot of not great choices” that led to a gun‑purchasing arrest. “I used to see a cop car and bolt in the other direction,” she added, but now she has started her own cleaning business and feels at home on the field.
Law‑enforcement participants came in the same numbers as the recovery community. Auburn Police Sgt. Nick Gagnon, who has served for 17 years, surprised his teammates with a swing that missed the first pitch, humorously announcing, “I haven’t hit a ball in 10 years, but I’m hitting this one!” He later explained that he would have told his younger self to “explain how important it is to have compassion,” emphasizing that experience can shift a hard‑edge mindset into empathy.
Auburn Police Lt. Matt Dailey and Officer Amirah Daugherty were among those who had spent time in sober houses and treatment programs; Dailey’s play, though not the most spectacular, was a statement of solidarity. “We need people in recovery to help their friends and get people out of drugs,” Dailey told a crowd that cheered as he rounded the bases on the final play of the game.
York County Sheriff Bill King and Deputy Sheriff Matthew Cummer—who spent an hour in the dunk tank for a fundraiser—also joined the field. Cummer was dunked repeatedly for ice‑water charity, while King moved through the stands, noting, “I’ve met people who’ve served time in our jail. That’s the most fulfilling—to see them working on their substance issues.”
The event also highlighted the journeys of those who have turned their lives around. Scott Brockelbank, who had first used crack at 11 and is now 90 days sober, said this was his first time playing sober, “I always thought I played better messed up, but I actually think I play better sober.” His teammate, Austin McAlister, shared his own path to sobriety: after a third prison stint, he was arrested, placed in treatment court, and has been sober for ten months. McAlister credited law‑enforcement for changing his life, saying, “I’m super grateful.”
Nicholas Toth, a 45‑year‑old former men’s facility resident, also played. After losing toes to frostbite and enduring other health challenges, Toth celebrated six and a half years of sobriety and the support from AA and NA. “My recovery has been bumpy, not linear, and not as easy as
