A Letter to the Winslow AZ Community 2

Here it is. I wrote a letter because there is an uproar. NIMBY is the cry of the hour. No one wants this in their backyard. They claim it’s the safety of the children, and that property values would drop.
This attitude annoyed Carol and I to the point that Carol wrote a letter that we were going to publish in the local notice and advertisement publication. We then reworked the letter that was for a short while available on the blog and notes for Facebook. We also made copies of this letter, which was in full support of the “sober” houses. The copies were for the Planning and Zoning Committee.
Then as the meeting started, I was all prepared to answer with the letter charge for charge from what the nay-sayers were stating. Then the Committee asked for the director to answer some of the charges brought up, to give account for the questions that the people raised.
It quickly became clear that those who want to do this noble project were not fully clear on how to do this. All of a sudden I started praying. I did not want to read my letter in full support of this.
I could not, cannot support this. One problem is that the referrals for who should become a resident were clearly stated that it would come from Winslow Guidance Associates, Winslow Indian Health Center and from the Detox Center. What is missing from the list is Community Counseling Center and Community Christian Center - Agape Christian Counseling. Now since my office is the latter, I am trying not to take this personally. Perhaps it was a mishap.
The other problem that arose is that the procedure and safe guards and checks do not exist. They have a procedure manual that is not finished. They have an admittance process that is not clearly defined. Their staff is not full, for they put forth that there would be one supervisor for both buildings. During the day when the residents are to be out of the building at either “intense counseling”, school or work, then there doesn’t need to be anyone at the buildings. All counseling once the person becomes a resident, would be at the Winslow Guidance Associates.
Then God answered my prayers. One of the P & Z members moved to table the topic until such time the Agape House builds a board of directors, for there is only one person who runs Agape House, and Agape House is able to have a model of “rigid structure” for the residents, as well as a policy manual. Though Agape House did conclude with the resolve to talk the P & Z out of 2 or 3 of their conditions.
Winslow does need this. This is not open for debate. But since Winslow has never had a program such as this, it becomes critical that whoever does this have all their ducks in a row, so to speak. If this fails, then there will never be an opportunity for a better model in the future. I hope that in the next month, WGA and Agape House are able to get the information together. I hope that I will change my mind as willingly as I did tonight.
But if Agape House and WGA are not the ones to bring this program to reality, then I pray that God will bring along someone who will, in a way that truly helps those who need it, and more importantly, in a way that brings people to God. Thank you for reading my thoughts. ---smh

A Letter to the Community of Winslow, Arizona

Dear Citizens of Winslow,
We want to make it known that we think this city needs these “Sobering” Houses. We need a rehabilitation center. We have heard of where it is proposed to be and are not concerned. We would like to think that a person who enters a place such as these has thought long and hard on changing their current situation and we would like the ability to help them. We believe in second chances and that a person can improve their life by taking steps toward that end.
There is no denying the fact that there are unsavory persons in this town. They are everywhere, they go anywhere. We have seen them around Washington School, Safeway, Bashas, Wal-Mart and other public places near children. These persons have come up to us when we had our children nearby. They are here.
We hope that instead of ignoring the problem, we, as a community, will have something available for them to improve their lives if they so wish. The problem is here, it is now. We need something to address it. We need some Sobering Houses. Here, in Winslow. Not far away where the problem is moot; but here where there is a problem.
Frankly, when they approach us, we are quite disgusted. They smell, they look shabby in appearance and are hard to understand, if at time, at all. Still, we want to help if we can. We don’t know their circumstances and probably never will. But they need something now that they are not getting; A Second Chance. We know that some will choose to change, to become more productive citizens, but if there is no place for them, how can they change? We need to be proactive. Give these “houses” a chance to help one person become a better man/woman.
Winslow has a choice. The choice is to have drunks, addicts and various unsavory people in town without trying to help, or the choice to have a place for them to change for the better. We vote for having the Sobering Houses. We hope you will, too.

Sincerely,

Steven and Carol Harvey
Minister, First Christian Church