A new group, Friends and Family of those with Addictive Behaviors, will begin meeting monthly at 5:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 13, at the Belgrade Counseling Center, 28 Main St., in Belgrade. The group will meet the second Sunday of each month.

Karen and Stephen Hardy of Belgrade have started this nonprofit to raise monies for folks in this category to be able to attend FFAB retreats that the couple will host through the Wellness Center that they operate out of Belgrade.

Karen is a mental health and addictions counselor who has a private practice in Belgrade. Her son has been two years free of heroin use, and both of them are recovering from the affects of his addiction.

Stephen is a Reiki Master who practices out of the Wellness Center in Belgrade, Mind, Body, Soul Wellness Center.

In their spare time, the couple has been hiking the Appalachian Trail for Overdose Awareness. In the spring they spent 10 days in West Virginia/Virginia hiking and since then have hiked many miles in Maine on the AT, all while wearing banners with photos of those lost to overdose and some who have survived them.

The couple has several more hikes before the end of fall and invite others to join them on the trail.

For more information, visit mindbodysoulwc.com or call 413-262-3833.