HAVEN FOR MEN TRYING TO BEAT ADDICTIONS

Walker Overlin suffers from AIDS and is a recovering drug addict and
alcoholic. He also has some impaired sight from AIDS.

But he's not complaining or feeling sorry for himself.

Instead, he is helping to solve some of the world's problems as house
manager for the Talbot House in the Old Northside.

Overlin does not claim credit for any good works he is doing these days. He
does not see his work as part of a larger effort to reduce homelessness or
overcrowding in the county jail. He just thanks God for whatever
contributions he is able to make in providing shelter and opportunity for
recovery from addiction.

Talbot House is celebrating its 40th anniversary this Saturday at 1424 N.
Central Ave.

To remain sober 40 years is a significant accomplishment for an alcoholic,
and staying in the business of helping alcoholics get sober for that many
years is also significant.

Alcoholics are not an easy bunch of people to help. Some are very kind and
gentle people when they are sober. But under the influence of the bottle or
drugs, they can lie, steal and do all kinds of terrible things. The sad
part is that they sometimes don't even realize what they are doing.

Often the people who can offer the most effective help are like Overlin;
they have been there themselves. They know the men need a combination of
compassion and discipline.

These are men who usually don't have health insurance and cannot afford a
nicer treatment facility. Or they have been kicked out of insurance-based
treatment facilities for continuing to drink or abuse drugs.

Overlin is willing to give a man another chance, provided he gives up his
drinking completely, tells the truth in the confessional atmosphere of
Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and is serious about finding a job.

The monthly charge is just $82, with several men to a room and chores as
part of the routine.

"I demand that they have a stake in the house," Overlin explains. "They
need to be responsible for their own rent. They have to have a job. It's
surprising how that motivates people."

Even a retired person is expected to work. "Everybody is self-supporting.
If a person is retired or disabled, I require them to do 20 hours of
volunteer work a week for a non-profit organization. We are not a
retirement home or a flophouse."

In a weekly meeting, new residents explain how they arrived. "Alcohol has
always been my drug of choice when I am in stress," explains Randy. He was
married three years, then spent some time at Progress House, a halfway
house similar to Talbot, in an effort to save his marriage. "I was clean
41/2 months. Me and my wife got in a big fight, and I went out and got
drunk." Now he hopes to try again through Talbot House.

Many alcoholics have relapses before they stay sober. Sobriety is measured
a day at a time. Staying off the bottle for several years is a treasured
gift for many alcoholics.

Overlin's own story illustrates the ups and downs on the road to sobriety
and freedom from drug abuse. "I was a hopeless, helpless drug addict. I
ended up lying, cheating and stealing. I ended up in jail and lost my
nursing license." The cocaine abuse led to the AIDS, which has been
stabilized with medication. But he also has lost some of his sight as a result.

Recovery has included a commitment to help others out of gratitude for the
freedom he has come to enjoy in recent years. "I don't know how it works,
but I know I get power to help other people. The more I give, the more
strength I gain."

He does not claim to speak for Alcoholics Anonymous, though he is grateful
for the group helping him to recover. He knows some might criticize him for
even allowing his full name in print, but he wants Talbot House to have its
due recognition for 40 years of service.

Talbot House is part of an army of compassionate servants who quietly offer
cups of cold water to needy people in the city. They include the rescue
missions, the Salvation Army and Progress House.

Most run on small budgets, with the supervision often provided by people
such as Overlin who have had the same problems. Talbot House is especially
cost-effective, with so few employees and a facility that was paid for
years ago. To help 25 or so men, the annual budget is about $80,000, with
most of it covered by the $82 monthly rental fees.

In the midst of attempts to resolve the city's problems with homelessness,
an organization such as Talbot House probably doesn't get the attention it
deserves for tackling the hardest problems. But Overlin doesn't ask for a
lot of credit anyway. "It's God who is doing it," he responds.