Personal experience guides volunteer at Open Door Recovery
Paula Mays (left) and Karen Vincent relax in the Open Door Recovery House meeting area and Bible study room in the new location for the residential sober house for women. Go to www.opendoorrecovery.net to find out more about helping the program. Staff photo by Connie Swinney
CONNIE SWINNEY • PICAYUNE STAFF
MARBLE FALLS — Karen Vincent knows what it’s like to recover from addiction.
“This disease lies and lies to you until it kills you,” she said.
Vincent, who is a recovering alcoholic, is one of the committed community volunteers at Open Door Recovery House in Marble Falls.
The faith-based sober house for women offers a temporary place to live, a roadmap to self-sufficiency, legal resources and drug and alcohol rehabilitation services.
“(The women) start putting their lives back together, and I feel hopeful,” Vincent said. “You do develop a relationship, a bond with them. Every time they take a positive step, you want to cheer with them.”
She not only offers support and guidance to the program’s temporary residents but assists executive director Paula Mays with fundraising events such as the upcoming third annual Open Door Recovery House Golf Tournament on Sept. 22.
Another role Vincent fills involves securing simple necessities for clients including towels, pillows, hygiene and household products and gift cards.[box]IF YOU GO
WHAT: Third annual Open Door Recovery House Golf Tournament
WHEN: Sept. 22 with a 1 p.m. shotgun start for two-person teams
WHERE: Slick Rock Golf Course at Horseshoe Bay Resort, 200 Hi Circle North in Horseshoe Bay
COST: $75 per person before Sept. 1; $85 per person after Sept. 1
FOR MORE: www.opendoorrecovery.net, myopendr@gmail.com or (830) 693-9292[/box]
“It can be very emotional for those of us who volunteer there. We see ladies come in with just the clothes on their back, with all kinds of legal issues,” she said. “The children may be in (Child Protective Services) custody. It’s a way to clean up their life and take a step forward.”
The program utilizes a 12-step program, conducts regular Bible studies and encourages church attendance.
Volunteers, board members, local business leaders and church officials recently combined efforts to move the program into a larger, permanent home with more amenities and accommodations for six residents and a live-in residential staff member.
“Now, we’re at a comfortable level,” Vincent said. “There were a lot of tears when they looked and saw where they were going to be able to live during their recovery.”
The nonprofit organization offers all services for free and relies on community support for goods and services for clients during their temporary stay.
“We expect them, as they start to get a base of sobriety under them, to be able and go out and get a job, to start saving money, so they can have a residence and a place to get their children back,” Vincent said. “We see the ladies come in. I feel their hope as I start to see them rebuild.”
Go to www.opendoorrecovery.net or email myopendr@gmail.com to find out more, to volunteer or to donate.
connie@thepicayune.com