I am presently in the start-up phase of a ministry that would be available to Elk Valley Women. This is a Faith based ministry, designed to address the needs of women who are addicted to alcohol, drugs, or have other life controlling problems such a gambling and food issues. We will need support from the entire community, to help us deal with this endeavor. It is an offshoot of the Wings of Eagles ministry in Cranbrook that is for men only.

This faith based ministry will be available to any women who have life controlling problems and needs assistance to overcome these. This is an approximately 16 week program with the client having the option of staying with us up to a 2 year maximum.

At present most candidates that need this type of intervention are sent to Abbotsford and have little or no support after they leave the facility. Often the person returns to the same situation that was a part of the cycle of addiction the first place. This results in a high rate of relapse when the client returns home, as well as multiple interventions, and the cost to the preservation of the family unit is severely compromised.

We also can help Women who are presently incarcerated to serve their sentence in the program and the legal community in the Elk Valley can also use this facility as an alternate to sending women away to a prison if she can serve her sentence here. This also helps preserve the family unit.

If the client can be looked after in a facility close to home they have a much better chance of recovery, and can stay close to the family unit. Also when they leave the program all of their support people or organizations are in place and easily accessed. At the present time there are so many treatment and recovery centers in the province of B. C. that are shutting down, or are so expensive that this recovery center is badly needed.

We will be having a fund raising banquet on April 26th at 6:00 at the Trinity Pentecostal Tabernacle in Fernie. We are going to have a meal, guest speakers, and a silent auction. We would love to see some of your staff at the event and also would like to have a donation for our silent auction. I would be happy to come up at your convenience and talk to you about this further.

We have had a great deal of success with our weekly Overcomers’ program but feel that the next logical step is to start a recovery center here in Fernie.

Anyone who is interested in this type of program or to find out more call me, Linda Johnson at 250-423-6603.