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Meet Merry Whittington: runner and recovery leader who helped jumpstart The Phoenix in San Diego. Before the official Phoenix chapter opened near her, Merry would drive nearly an hour each way to Orange County just to join Phoenix activities. And when we finally did launch in San Diego, she was one of the first members to step in and lead our movement.
Since January 2022, she’s kept a weekly run on the calendar, rallied crews for the La Jolla Half Marathon and the Pride 5K, supported Overdose Awareness, the Recovery Games, and outreach events—all while helping create hundreds of moments that connect and inspire more than 1,100 Phoenix members.
We met up with Merry to talk about her path as a sober athlete and volunteer.
The Phoenix (PHX): Why do you volunteer?
Merry Whittington (MW): I have been an athlete for the majority of my life, but then my addiction to alcohol got in the way. When I first learned about The Phoenix, I fell in love with the concept of pairing recovery with physical activities. It was a fresh, new way to approach recovery and I wanted to be a part of it. I also have a passion for volunteering and helping others. When I found out I could volunteer for The Phoenix in 2021, I jumped at the chance. It fulfilled many of my passions. As I volunteered, I developed so many amazing friendships!
PHX: How has volunteering impacted you?
MW: What started as personal reasons to volunteer have evolved into so much more. The Phoenix helped me build more confidence and a greater sense of purpose by giving me the opportunity to become a recovery leader in the greater community. I believe that being able to talk about The Phoenix with others helps reduce stigma, for which I’m a big advocate. Most importantly, The Phoenix has given me a true sense of belonging. I continue to volunteer because of the incredible people and community. They keep me coming back.