Big Dreams, Little Money
As a recovering person myself, I see a need for rehabilitation housing in this area. As my wife, Susan and I were driving on Hendrix Street in Brazil, we passed by the former Clay County Health and Rehabilitation Center. Sitting there empty and probably deteriorating, many good uses could come to this building. One is a place for people with alcohol and drug problems to continue recovery. Rules, of course would be necessary and enforced.
There are plenty of private rooms with a bath and shower, a full kitchen, laundry facilities and room for parking. Extra acreage on the north side, included in the half-a-million dollar package could be sold off. Parking spaces for 69 vehicles may not be needed, either. Part of the parking lot could even be offered for sale. The game area could be rented out for family occasions and meetings of Alcoholics and Narcotics Anonymous could be held there. The possibilities are practically endless. All are positive.
They are probably grants available for purchasing this place. Some good structure for a rehab center is rules for everyone living there; one must have some type of legal income, not use drugs or alcohol, attend some type of Christian services and put into the program in some way. (I am not trying to compete with the House of Hope. As a matter of fact, my wife and I are both supporters of that wonderful organization, both financially and spiritually.) Those able to work without jobs would seek and find. I am not a supporter of addicts and alcoholics receiving government checks. I'm not a doctor, but I think that if recovering people diagnosed with diseases such as ADHD, Schizophrenia and various personality disorders would see those symptoms disappear if they would lay off the sauce and pills a while. Then they would learn that "earning" your money is much more rewarding than having it given to you.
Actually, serious recovering people make good neighbors. I would not be opposed to residing next to the shelter.
The half-way house where I lived in Terre Haute was welcomed in the area. We often did various jobs for neighbors and shoveled snow in front of surrounding homes and keep "our" property well-groomed. We had a Board of Trustees, mainly recovering people themselves, who watched over the place very closely. After a period of sobriety, I became a member of that board. Some who did not follow rules suffered consequences ranging from close supervision (probation of a sort) to being kicked out of the house. It may sound cruel and seem to have an opposite effect on recovery, but if that person corrects themselves they would be permitted back into the house. There could even be a stipulation where residents would be required to do community service work, not policed work, but volunteer work. They could do yard work for the elderly, provide labor to fix up the exterior of homes, wash windows, clean guttering, etc.
This is not a pipe dream. It's a possibility.
- -- Posted by CAB (Concerns About Brazil) on Wed, Mar 30, 2011, at 2:29 PM
- -- Posted by Cardonia Redneck on Thu, Apr 7, 2011, at 1:47 AM
- -- Posted by JaniLou on Wed, Jun 8, 2011, at 10:29 PM
- -- Posted by Pastor Rich on Tue, Jul 19, 2011, at 3:13 PM
- -- Posted by Neighbor79 on Fri, Nov 25, 2011, at 11:55 PM
- -- Posted by steve47834 on Sat, Dec 31, 2011, at 8:34 AM
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