NEW TRANSITION HOUSE OPENS IN S. LANGLEY

On Saturday Nov. 8, a new transition house for women opened in
Langley.

Healthy Living Minister Mary Polak, MLA for Langley, was on hand with
other officials to officially open Campbell Valley House of Hope,
operated by the Wagner HIlls Farm Society.

According to BC Housing, the new housing unit has 14 beds for women in
addiction recovery and will provide support services and
rehabilitation.

Those who use the house will receive lessons in job skills, social
skills and farm work before they are integrated back into the
community. Wagner Hills will also have a staff member on hand at all
times.

BC Housing provided the society with $250,000 through the Provincial
Homelessness Initiative. The money was used to renovate the three
houses used for the project. There are eight bedrooms, four bathrooms
and one kitchen spread out between the three homes.

Renovations to the home included updated sprinkler systems, roof
repairs and new septic systems for each unit.

Helmut Boehm, executive director of Wagner Hills, said he is very
grateful to BC Housing, who owns the land, for allowing them to lease
the land for the next 20 years.

"This is our beginning to serve women in our community," he said.
"It's quite important. It's been years in the planning, with a lot of
praying and hoping."

At the present time, Campbell Valley House of Hope has room for eight
women and will eventually have the resources to serve more.

Wagner Hills is a Christian organization with a ministry primarily to
men living with addiction. It is open to people who are looking for
"Christian drug treatment," and "addiction recovery." People who
suffer from abuse or any form of addiction are welcomed at its
facilities on 264 Street in Aldergrove.

The Wagner Hills transitional House of Hope is located at 460 216 St.
in South Langley, the former site of the Chrisholme facility.

It is the second transitional house in Langley.

"We've been here for 27 years and hope to be here for another 27,"
said Boehm. "We're building on what others have started."

The ministry is currently in need of wool hats, gloves, slippers,
toothpaste, toothbrushes and much more. For a complete list of items
or for more information visit http://www.wagnerhills.com.