MOUNT VERNON – Amy Smart, executive director and owner of Riverside Recovery Services, is the winner of the Knox County Chamber's Women in Business Leadership Award.
Smart uses her previous experience with drug addiction and subsequent incarceration to positively intervene in the lives of local residents addicted to drugs.
She is a native of Mount Vernon, having grown up in Howard Township and graduated from East Knox High School. 2021 marks Smart's 15th year of being clean and sober. Riverside Recovery Services aims to help patients recover from drug addiction productively, safely and accountably.
"I spent five years in prison," she told the Mount Vernon News. "It was very difficult on my children. They were in junior high when that happened and were graduating from high school when I got back. A lot has changed since then. A lot of forgiveness. A lot of tears. All three of my children work for Riverside in some capacity."
For Smart, having her three children work for Riverside to help former drug addicts is nothing short of incredible, as her family's relations were strained during her incarceration and recovery.
"It was incredible," Smart said when asked how she felt about winning the Women in Business Leadership Award. "It was a very humbling experience. I was nominated alongside many strong women in the community, and winning makes it even more humbling."
Mount Vernon's charming small-town atmosphere is often a highlight for most residents, and Smart is no different.
"I love the fact that being back home every day, I talk to someone I grew up with and went to school with," she said, describing what she loves most about living in Mount Vernon. "I have been able to hire folks I went to school with."
Indeed, Mount Vernon's relatively small size has been a huge factor in Smart's love of the local community. Today, she is giving back by offering much-needed assistance to those struggling to break free from the grip of drug addiction.
Riverside Recovery Services operates in Coshocton, Knox and Lawrence counties and offers various levels of services to patients, both male and female. Individuals seeking assistance with addiction can contact the organization in numerous ways. Visit riversiderecovery.rehab/contact.html for more information.
