The Cumberland Heights Annual Lunch Honors Peggy Craig

Alexis Salyer opened the Reaching New Heights program with powerful testimony. She grew up in a terrific family, she said, but always felt different. By 15, she was addicted to alcohol and cocaine. She felt hopeless. But after spending three years in recovery at Cumberland Heights, Alexis started her career there and now leads its Still Waters For Women program. “Everything I have is because of Cumberland Heights,” she said.

CEO Jay Crosson presented the Sheila Keeble Award to the beloved Peggy Craig, who has followed in the footsteps of her parents in supporting Cumberland Heights. Both her dad Mike and mother Polly served many years on its board. Peggy stepped onto that path in 2016, now chairing the program committee and serving on the executive and endowment committees. Peggy opens doors for Cumberland Heights, Jay shared, using her personal influence to make new friends for the agency. “Everyone respects and admires Peggy,” he said, before honoring Peggy’s love of UNC basketball with an apt metaphor. “When you make a basket, you point to the person who made the assist. Peggy has made assists for us many times.”

Featured speaker Laurie Dhue shared her sober days — 6,622 — representing 18 years, one month and 16 days. Laurie admitted her life once looked “pretty perfect on the outside.” She’d hit incredible career milestones, anchoring shows for CNN, MSNBC, Fox News and other networks. “You wanna make God laugh? Make plans,” she joked. Laurie called her addiction dangerous, depressing and sad; alcoholics are either thinking about a drink or recovering from one. You could title her talk “Reaching New Depths,” she teased. 

But breaking is a part of becoming. Grace, like water, flows to the lowest point. “God’s grace reached me where I was,” Laurie said. Connecting with others is a vital part of recovery for her. So are principles like discipline, integrity, humility and helping others. “Today,” she shared, “I choose calm over chaos.”