PROGRAM HOPES TO OPEN A RESIDENTIAL DRUG TREATMENT FACILITY

Addiction is a serious problem that destroys families and ruins
lives.

Jim and Marcella Davis know the pain of loving someone with an
addiction.

Their daughter has struggled with it for 13 years and has been through
many treatment programs that have failed to help her. She is currently
getting help at the Our House program in Vancouver. While Jim and
Marcella are happy that their daughter is getting the help she needs,
they can't help but wish that she could be treated closer to home.

The Our House program has been established in many communities
throughout the country including Vancouver, Hawksberry, and Toronto.
The program acts as a detox centre, rehabilitation facility, and life
skills training centre all in one and it was founded by Norm Sharkey,
a former addict.

It is a non-profit organization funded by contributions from
individuals in the community. It is mainly funded through sales of
Norm Sharkey's book, Sanity 365: Daily Help for Sane Living.
Individuals and businesses purchase copies of the book and then donate
them back to the program.

The books are then handed out to hospitals, schools, and prisons as
well as given away on the street. The hope is that by reading the
book, addicts will decide to seek help. The book is written for
addicts by a former addict and contains inspiring passages for each
day of the year.

The program follows an AA type format, but with six steps instead of
12. The only requirement for treatment is a desire to stop using.

The program is run by former addicts who have been clean for at least
two years and have graduated from the Our House training program.

Jim says that having former addicts running the program is a great
benefit because these individuals know what newcomers are going
through and can relate their experiences. It also provides a job
opportunity for graduates of the program.

There is currently a program running in Esterhazy run by Gerry Oake.
Although this is not a residential program, there are online meetings
three times per week and face to face meetings once per week. The
online meetings dealing with any type of addiction while the rural
program would focus only on addiction to substances, alcohol and drugs.

Jim and Marcella are spearheading the campaign to establish a
residential Our House program in the Yorkton area. It would be in a
rural farm setting in order to keep residents in a place where they
are safe and from which they would be less likely to run. While on the
farm, residents would recover from their addiction and also be taught
life skills that would help them maintain their sobriety.

Basic skills such as personal hygiene, job-finding skills, budgeting
finances, child-rearing skills would all help these individuals learn
how live their lives without returning to their addiction.

The program would provide a stable and supportive environment that
will give individuals struggling with addiction an opportunity to
heal. Recovering addicts on the farm would have chores, learn new
skills, discover hidden talents as well as work with animals,
especially horses.

The hope is to also have a market garden in which residents would grow
produce and then bring it into town to sell. The money made would go
back into the program.

Residents will learn responsibility and when they are ready to rejoin
the workforce, there would be a work program in place to help them
find suitable employment. The program will not discriminate based on
gender, race, age, or socioeconomic status. Jim says an important
advantage to the program is that there is no red tape to cut through
to get in; as long as they have a desire to stop using, they can join.
The cost of treatment has not yet been determined, but individuals
would have access to the program regardless of whether or not they can
afford it.

Jim says that many of the steps to getting this program going are in
place. A board of directors has been established and there is also
support from other members of the community, the RCMP are supportive
of the program and they also have a doctor and a minister on board.

While the program is not associated with any specific religious
denomination, it will encourage residents to develop a spirituality
that they are comfortable with. Jim and Marcella were at city council
on Monday, November 19, to make a presentation. They are currently
trying to raise money to get the program up and running which they
would love to have started by next summer.

Jim and Marcella are currently seeking out businesses and individuals
to participate in their 100, 000 Book Giveaway Program. Each business
or individual purchases a number of copies of Norm Sharkey's book and
then donates the books to the program.

The books are distributed to schools, hospitals, churches and other
venues to hand out to those who are struggling with addiction.

Any individuals or businesses interested in donating to the program or
willing to volunteer their time to help fundraise can contact Jim or
Marcella Davis by phone.