'NEVER GIVE UP HOPE'

Addiction Recovery Centre Needs Support To Avoid Closure

When I look at the word "hope," I see a slogan: Help One Person
Evolve.

Hope Farm Society in Stewiake isn't doing that; it's currently helping
17 or so people to evolve - evolve from their worlds of substance or
gambling addictions.

I was introduced to Hope Farm Society just over four weeks ago. My son
was accepted there for a gambling abuse problem.

My first opinion as we drove up the road to the farm was: This feels
safe.

The red barns to the right of the driveway caught my eyes. Do they
really have animals here? You bet they do.

The residents feed, water, clean and care for the animals daily. This
is a working farm, after all.

Their days begin at six o'clock in the morning. They have a purpose
for getting out of bed each day.

The chores keep their minds off of their addictions.

As my son stated in a recent article in this newspaper, "Out here, I
can't get to a casino, lottery machine or liquor store." Besides his
chores, he is able to do woodworking, producing items that he is proud
of.

Residents are driven to weekly support meetings, depending on their
addictions.

This facility is a very structured, supportive environment. It is a
safe haven for someone's son, brother, uncle, father or grandfather;
and now it is being threatened with closure!

I have been calling and faxing all politicians, newspapers and people
who will listen to me.

All have been very supportive listeners and advice givers, and I thank
each and every one of them.

Hope Farm Society needs more support, more phone calls.

We need this farm to stay open - for men of all walks of life, young
or older, who have reached their bottom in life. Here they can, and
will, start to climb upward.

The success rate here is roughly 81 per cent!

Bring hope to these men, not despair; they have had enough of that
already.

You can phone Hope Farm Society and express your support at
902-639-2599, your local MLA, or me at 902-889-3154 and leave a message.

I will not give up HOPE. Thank you.

Lynn Power lives in Musquodoboit Harbour.