Philadelphians In Recovery Take Part In TV-Inspired In Talent Competition
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - The first of a four-round singing competition aimed at building self-confidence for people in recovery was held today at the Community College of Philadelphia. The event is modeled after a popular television show.
Singing Phil Collins' "Against All Odds," 26-year-old Phyllis Deal of North Philadelphia (in photo) was among eight contestants in the "Philadelphia Recovery Idol." She is a recovering drug user and has been clean for nearly two years.
"I'm telling people, 'Look at me now -- I did some things that I'm not proud of, and I'm a different person today and I want everyone to look at me,' " she tells KYW Newsradio.
Derrick Ford is community liaison for the Department of Behavioral Health, organizer of the event.
"The wonderful voices are the people who just need to uplift their spirits, so that's what we are doing here," he said. "We have four major competitions, and the winner is going to get a plaque and is going to sing in front of 18 to 20,000 people at Penn's Landing on September 24th."
September 24th is National Recovery Walks 2011.
Reported by John McDevitt, KYW Newsradio 1060
