Spirit of Recovery Award

Written By: Hemet Valley Recovery Center Date: February 5th, 2011. Topic: Member Profile Article.

The newly established Joseph L. Galletta Spirit of Recovery Award seeks to honor individuals who carry on the tradition of this pioneer in addictions treatment – a dedication to 12-step philosophy, leadership in the recovery field, the encouragement of others, and the promotion of sober lifestyles. We are proud to announce the first recipient of the Spirit of Recovery Award, Ed Spatola, founder and CEO of New Found Life, a drug and alcohol treatment program that focuses on saving the lives of individuals and helping families who suffer from the devastation of alcoholism and addiction.

The namesake of this award, Dr. Joseph L. Galletta, was a truly remarkable man. He was one of the first physicians to become certified in the new field of Addiction Medicine in 1983. He helped develop treatment protocols that took the fear and danger out of detoxification and provided a way out of the grips of alcoholism and addiction for countless patients over the years. He was an active member, and later the chair, of the Physician Wellness Committee of the Riverside Medical Association. Dr. Galletta assisted many physicians into treatment and recovery, as well as assisted hospitals in the development of wellness programs of their own. Dr. Galletta’s enthusiasm for the field of chemical dependency treatment was so genuine and contagious that he was responsible for drawing several healthcare professionals into the field. He was responsible for the certification of a number of addiction specialist physicians who otherwise would have never considered this specialty area of practice. Dr. Galletta, within the medical community, championed the early identification and intervention of the disease, helping restore countless lives both directly and indirectly.

Dr. Galletta was a man of great generosity, giving freely of his time and resources for the simple reward of helping. On many occasions, Dr. Galletta provided services to countless individuals regardless of their ability to pay and also provided his time serving on the boards of various facilities and organizations free of charge. Dr. Galletta showed great loyalty in both the good times and the bad. He was someone you could count on to be in your corner and someone who commanded respect through his actions and his deeds and not through his title or position. He could help lift the spirits of the hopeless and the helpless, through encouragement, kindness, and that gentle touch that came from somewhere deep inside. He could break the ice with a bad lawyer joke, and put you at ease with his confidence in your ability to recover and thrive.

He understood the importance of the 12 steps, the fellowship of the recovery community, and connecting spiritually. He always directed his patients to Alcoholics Anonymous.

It was Dr. Galletta, the colleague, who always down played his importance on the team and promoted the roles of others in a selfless style so rare in people and even rarer in physicians. He would always say, “I’m just the doctor; it’s the team that gets you well”. It was this humble demeanor that was so remarkable, so special, and so “Joe”. His trademark positive attitude and optimistic outlook was an encouragement to all who knew him.

Ed Spatola follows in Dr. Galletta’s tradition of generosity and genuine care and concern for those struggling with addictions. Celebrating 20 years of recovery himself, Ed has also been married for 47 years, and has four children, six grandchildren, one great granddaughter with another one on the way. He is active in the community and participates in many humanitarian efforts.

Ed spent 30 years as the Senior Vice President of Product Development, Branch Administration and Sales at First Fidelity Bank (now Wachovia). After taking an early retirement, he established and cultivated a marketing and promotion business with ties to the National Football League. He later sold his interest in 1993 in order to start New Found Life, an endeavor that captivated his imagination and energy because it focused on saving the lives of individuals and helping families who suffer from addiction.

Ed and the clinical staff are supported by employees who have worked for many years at New Found Life and in the field of recovery. Ed has continued to serve the community and the interests of New Found Life residents and alumni. He has mentored and employed many of the New Found Life alumni, and is constantly working to help others.

After 18 years of growth, New Found Life, its dedicated management team, coupled with a sound clinical staff and devoted employees have turned a simple idea of helping others into a quality company with an outstanding reputation.

Ed is always promoting the principles of 12-step recovery. He truly believes in this life-changing program and is constantly telling others “go help someone”. His forte is evaluating and placing people who need help in the facility that fits their needs. As he says, “It’s a beautiful thing!”