Like most any city in the U.S., Great Bend has drug issues. Like most any county in the U.S., Barton County has drug issues. Arguably, drugs is the No. 1 issue.
Once again, I refer to “On the Record” in the Great Bend Tribune for my information along with the press releases the Tribune receives from Chief of Police Steve Haulmark as well as Sheriff Brian Bellendir. It seems as if each and every day there is one, if not more, new drug arrest from the Police Department or Sheriff’s Office. And it seems that with each drug arrest, law enforcement must deal with weapons and/or resistance while trying to arrest the suspect.
I spent three years in Great Bend, from 1974-77, until I graduated from GBHS. I had friends that were beer drinkers - 18 was the legal age for purchase and consumption of 3.2 beer way back then. I did have a few that smoked cigarettes but I’m not aware of any of my friends that did drugs. I was never once accused of being an angel but it wasn’t until I was in college that I was around marijuana. Now it’s legal in many states. I still find that hard to believe.
I do/did have family members that were alcoholics and I saw their struggles. An older cousin struggled with alcohol and hard drugs. An accomplished chef, his addictions made him a thief and he couldn’t keep a job because he’d get caught stealing alcohol from the bar and drinking in the restroom or reaching into the cash register for a couple of 20s. We have no idea what ever happened to him. I’m positive it wasn’t a happy ending.
Many have not been as sheltered as I have. Some have had parents or siblings struggle with drugs and alcohol. The fighting, the verbal and physical abuse, the lack of discipline compounded by financial problems steered them down the wrong path. They have become second generation addicts and now, their children are in line to become third generation users and abusers.
Something has to stop this cycle. Children need a steady, sturdy, disciplined, loving upbringing. That is where programs like Oxford House come into play.
An Oxford House brochure says, “For people who misuse alcohol and substances, behavior changes take opportunity, motivation, time, and peer support. Oxford House gives people with past substance abuse a realistic chance of getting comfortable enough in sobriety to stay free of mind-altering substances forever. The Oxford House self-run, self-supported, disciplines concept and operations system replaces hopelessness with hope and failure with success.”
What a great concept. What a difficult situation to be in.
There are three Oxford House locations in Great Bend. Members of these houses have presented their stories to the Barton County Commissioners on at least two occasions since September. After each one spoke about their lives, many of them breaking down in tears, they would say “Another 24.” This means their goal is to be clean and sober for another 24 hours. One day at a time!
Mike Swalley, a house leader, has been clean and sober since Oct. 17, 2014. Listening to him talk, he’s had his share of rough patches in life. He fell off the wagon at one point. He is now in position to mentor and educate those around him. You must be clean and sober to remain in an Oxford House — absolute Zero Tolerance Policy — so those he’s around are now in position to mentor and educate him.
Can you see how this system could snowball and help those who really want to be helped? Let’s face it. You can’t help those that aren’t ready.
Oxford House living is a true democracy. Residents have daily chores that must be completed. All bills are split equally among those living in a home. You are responsible for yourself. If you return to using alcohol or drugs, you are instantly removed from the house. Residents also meet daily at the First Church of God for additional support.
Statistics show that a person that has been living in an Oxford House for 12 months has an 80% chance of recovery from addiction. Those that have been in the program for 18 months — their success rate jumps to 87.7%.
We should all be pulling for these people to make it. We should all be pulling for them to earn their families back and to find and keep good jobs. We should all be pulling for law enforcement to continue finding and prosecuting the meth and fentanyl dealers in these communities. We should all be pulling for the counselors to be getting through to them.
Stop it now before another generation gets driven down the wrong path. They don’t love this life. Right now, it’s what they know.
My hope for them: Another 24.
— Keith Lippoldt
