|
REGULAR MEETING February 25, 2019
<br /> never could make my dad go away and give up on us girls. We were loved. My mother worked a
<br /> full-time job. She ran us around to sports and choir in the evenings. My stepfather worked at Bosh
<br /> and made over $150,000 a year. Raising three (3) girls, a good portion of that went to our school
<br /> clothes. Life was good. At sixteen (16), Melissa had a dental procedure and she was prescribed
<br /> Vicodin. Right after that, she got mono and she was prescribed Darvocet for two (2) months
<br /> straight. By the time the prescriptions were up, my sister was a teenage addict, and no one knew.
<br /> Was it school? Was it a boy? No one knew. What we did know was that she was always wanting
<br /> to go to the doctor. She was always hurt. She was angry, and she was secretive. Our family did
<br /> what most families do, we fought amongst ourselves for years in silence. My dad was tired of the
<br /> calls from my mom so one (1) day he picked Melissa up to live with him. He just knew he was
<br /> going to save her. Meanwhile,my mother and stepfather began to turn on each other. You see,my
<br /> stepfather blamed himself because apparently no one told him that a step child will tell you I hate
<br /> you a million times before they tell you I love you. So, he began to drink and gamble privately.
<br /> My mother moved us out and started working two (2)jobs. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the new
<br /> American family. Please do not fear the addict. They are already here amongst you working,going
<br /> to your favorite restaurant and sending their children off to school to play with yours. Ladies and
<br /> gentlemen, we have a Mayor that is on the New York Times Best Selling List and he is a
<br /> Presidential hopeful. Do we want South Bend, Indiana to be a graveyard or a grace land? Do we
<br /> want to be the face of rebuilding our community and giving American families hope? Please do
<br /> not let fear divide us.
<br /> Skyler Stanton, 4607 South Fellows Street, South Bend, IN, stated, I'm a certified recovery coach
<br /> in the State of Indiana. What led me to this? In my Army career, I was airborne, and I tore my
<br /> meniscus, broke my ankle and was prescribed opiates. I've been sober for almost five (5) years
<br /> now but my brother wasn't so lucky. Throughout my time as a recovery coach, the biggest issue
<br /> we have, anywhere in the area, is housing. The biggest issue, without a doubt. This is a chance to
<br /> help that issue. Thank you.
<br /> Kristin Haseley, 54410 29th Street, South Bend, IN, stated, I was raised by an amazing family in
<br /> central Indianapolis and after high school, I received a full-ride scholarship to play division one
<br /> (1) soccer at IUPUI. I closed my career as one (1) of the all-time leaders in matches played, save
<br /> percentage and goals against. That was about fifty (50) pounds ago, but anyway, I was named
<br /> IUPUI's Academic Advisor's list every single semester and was selected to the Summit League
<br /> Commissioner's List for Academic Excellence on three (3) different occasions. I was selected by
<br /> our Journalism professors to carry our banner at commencement where I graduated cum laude. My
<br /> senior year, I was even published in USA Today. For years, I worked for the Youth Soccer
<br /> Association here in our State and I actually coach two (2) of the current players down the street at
<br /> Notre Dame. I'm also a recovering alcoholic. We all like to think that addiction could never happen
<br /> to us or our families. For some of us, we are lucky it hasn't yet. My family, we were some of the
<br /> lucky ones who are able to turn a blind eye to this problem until we couldn't any more. I was the
<br /> first (1St) person in my family to be arrested. I was the first (1St) person in my family that ever
<br /> needed to raise a hand and say I need help. For two (2) years,my family and I tried to find a place
<br /> like this out-patient building we are trying to open here in South Bend. I needed a place I could
<br /> live sober and clean and learn how to live a new lifestyle. Unfortunately, these places don't exist
<br /> in our communities right now. I jumped from seven (7) day detox to seven (7) day detox. From
<br /> there to jail until I finally ended up in an in-patient treatment center for an extended period of time.
<br /> Recovery is a life-long choice that requires dedication every single day. You heard some of the
<br /> statistics from some of the other people, so, I won't repeat them,but the patients we are looking to
<br /> come into this facility are the ones that have already proven to us that they are dedicated. I've been
<br /> working in the addiction recovery field for almost a year now, and as a case manager at Choices,
<br /> I speak with the families of these patients every single day. They are dying for places like this. We
<br /> would be cutting off a lifeline for someone who could go on to recover and end up helping any
<br /> one (1) of our loved ones. I appreciate your consideration.
<br /> Council President Tim Scott announced to the audience, For those who are here for the RSVP Bill,
<br /> this is going to be a long time. If you would like to say whether you are in favor or against, there
<br /> will be sheets to sign outside these chambers. You can put your name, address and number and
<br /> whether you are in favor or against the bill. (That list of names is available in the City Clerk's
<br /> Office).
<br /> 13
<br />
|