CAMPAGNOLO OPENS $3.5 MILLION PEARDONVILLE HOUSE

A former hard-core crack cocaine addict with two children is now a social
worker helping people with the Ministry for Children and Families.

Two school principals struggling with addiction are now clean.

Those are some of the success stories that keep Peardonville House and the
Valley Recovery Support Society motivated to continue to help people
overcome their drug and alcohol addictions, said Gerry Palmer, chairman of
the society.

He recounted the history of Peardonville House - the only women's treatment
centre in B.C. that also offers a daycare centre for children - during
Friday's official opening of the new facility at the corner of Peardonville
and Ross Road.

B.C. Lt.-Gov. Iona Campagnolo unveiled a plaque commemorating the occasion
and praised the efforts of Peardonville House staff, volunteers and
community donors who made the dream of the new facility a reality. When
women have had their spirits compromised and crushed, Peardonville House
offers human compassion and encourages these downtrodden women to
experience miracles, she said.

"Self knowledge is such a dynamic weapon," said Campagnolo, adding that
women regain their dignity through sobriety.

Valley Recovery Support Society first founded Kinghaven for men in 1970 and
then in the mid-80s decided to start Peardonville House treatment centre
for women in the historical Peardonville School that had been built in the
1880s.

In 1992, the provincial government helped fund a pilot project for female
addicts who could bring their children into an accompanying day-care
program. Since Peardonville House first opened, more than 2,000 women have
been helped to kick their addictions and many now lead honourable lives,
said Palmer. The old Peardonville School is gone and in its place is the
new $3.5 million treatment facility with 25 beds: 16 beds for adults over
the age of 19 years and nine beds for children.

The surrounding landscape of trees, farms and cows ambling on the back
hillside offer a tranquil country-side ambience.

In one of the bedrooms, a woman has written her prayer: "My creator, I am
powerless over drugs and alcohol, please keep me clean and sober today."

During the 10-week stay at Peardonville House, the women go through the
12-step Alcoholics Anonymous program and group sessions help them to deal
with self-esteem, grief and loss, anger and resentment and forgiveness, to
name a few aspects of character building.

Diane Robinson, a substance abuse counsellor who offers out-patient service
at Community Services, said she is thrilled with the way Peardonville House
has transformed women's lives.

Josie Kane, also a counsellor, noted there remains a serious need in B.C.
to help young female addicts between the ages of 13 to 18 who need to get
into a full treatment program.

"There's still no place for them."

The B.C. government has paid about $1.2 million toward the new buildings at
Peardonville House, with a number of local companies, and charitable and
church organizations making substantial donations, said Palmer, adding that
the Lion's variety telethon also pitched in about $200,000.

The Valley Recovery Support Society still owes about $1.5 million to the
government to repay a loan, he explained.

A plaque that was unveiled on Friday shared the following wisdom:

"If you treat a woman as she is - she will stay as she is - but if your
treat her as if she were what she ought to be and could be - she will
become as she ought to be and could be."