FAMILY DRUG COURT PARTICIPANT GETS MAKEOVER - INSIDE AND OUT

Brenda Vickers Says Pampering Made Her 'Feel Important'

Life can be hard sometimes, but there is nothing like a few minutes of
pampering to make a person smile.

Brenda Vickers, 36, knows about life's hard knocks, but she was all
smiles Wednesday after she got a makeover.

Vickers was treated to a free manicure, hair cut, styling and makeup
session at Salon Solutions on Andrew Jackson Way, courtesy of the
Family Drug Court and Shannon Dempsey, owner of the salon.

Yvette Kubik, the Madison County court administrator, is a customer of
Salon Solutions, so she asked the staff at the beauty salon to give
Vickers the beauty treatment.

"I explained to Shannon that she was investing in her community by
helping someone become more productive," she said. "We could not do
some of the things we do through the Family Drug Court without the
help of businesses in the community."

Vickers has reached the fourth and final level of the Family Drug
Court's 18-month program, which is to maintain life-long sobriety. She
is about to start job hunting so she can become self-sufficient.

The makeover and her success in the Family Drug Court program will
help bolster Vickers' self-esteem, Kubik said.

"I believe, if she feels good about herself, she will perform better
on job interviews," she said.

The makeover is in line with the Family Drug Court's policy of helping
people with anything that will make them successful. "Our goal is to
help make them self-sufficient, productive citizens of the community,"
she said.

Vickers seemed skittish, at first, as Dempsey gave her a manicure and
cut and styled her hair. Then, makeup artist Meagan Haney applied
powder and creams to Vickers' face and painted her lips. She also give
Vickers instructions on how to achieve similar results at home. As the
beauty treatment progressed, Vickers relaxed, even when Dempsey
recommended cutting some of her shoulder-length hair. She described
her makeover with a gleam in her eyes.

"It was exciting, and it made me feel so important and full," she
said.

For most of her life, Vickers has battled addiction to alcohol and
cocaine. Her addiction has, so far, cost her custody of one of her
children, and another child is in foster care.

Vickers was referred to the Adult Drug Court Program in 2003 by a
social worker with the Department of Human Resources, and it looks
like she's going to get a break through the courts. She is also
attending sessions of Alcoholics Anonymous and has been sober for more
than a year.

In May, Vickers will have a court hearing to determine if she can keep
custody of her 3-year-old daughter. Things are looking positive, she
said.

She is also planning a career as a counselor or serving in some role
as a mentor for people who need help because of substance abuse.

"I have received so much from the program," she said. "I want to give
back what was given to me."