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Show U Rehabilitation Center fills vital needs of Southern Utah Area In 1957 a group of concerned citizens of Southern Utah joined together to establish the Alcoholism Recovery Center. This necessitated finding money for purchase of property and furnishings. fur-nishings. Among persons who facilitated this were Warren Bulloch, Elwood Corry, Jessie Guymon, Charles R. Hunter and others. They signed a note for sufficient money which was loaned to the Alcoholism Recovery by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. This money became paid off in full from proceeds of the Center. During most of this time the Center was managed by Mr. Jim Peace and Mr. Fay Iverson acting under the direction of a Board of Directors. Many different men from Southern Utah have acted as members of the Board including Leighton Dennett, Claron Brad-shaw, Brad-shaw, Clifton Chatterley, Lewis J. Bowler, Adrian Pollock, LaVarr Pratt, Eugene McAllister, Sam Allen, Dr. Garth Chatterley, Bruce Adams, Cliff Young, EIRoy Mason, Howard Knight, Byron Black, Don Yardley, Sharon Webb, also some past members of the board are Howard Knight, Ivan Robb, Dub Leigh, Giles Bolander, Wallace Fotheringham, Linford Orton and others. Ken Joseph is currently the Director of the Alcoholism Recovery Center. Mr. Joseph says that because of the Center operating at less than full capacity and because of increased operating costs due to inflation and other factors the Center may be closed. Mr. Joseph predicts that the Center will operate at a deficit in the coming fiscal year if it remains open. He also says that the services rendered by the Southern Utah Alcoholism Council and the Recovery Center are difficult to measure in dollars. Of the 600 plus men who have been effectively treated at the Center a considerable number of these men are found to be gainfully employed; em-ployed; reunited with their families, sober and in many cases returned to the Church of their choosing and all around productive members of their communities. Mr. Joseph says a conservative percentage of the men treated who have had continuous sobriety since treatment at the center is about 38 percent. This is a conservative con-servative statistic because it is derived from identifying men who are in the Southern Utah area. Many men have moved to other parts of the country and a follow-up on their current circumstan circumstances cir-cumstances is impossible. The separate county governments in the Five County Area recognize the utility of the Center and each makes a yearly contribution con-tribution to the Center. Kane, Reaver and Iron counties have recently pledged their continuing support to the Center in the hope that a move to close the Center will be forestalled. The Recovery Center currently spends much of the budget and time in preventive education. In the past year verbal and printed information has been disseminated to civic clubs, churches and schools throughout the area. Presentations are well founded in fact. No "scare tactics" or moralizing are used because these are ineffective inef-fective and sometimes damaging. Of the hundreds of school students and college students contacted in the past year all reports from administrators and students indicate some positive effect has been produced. The Alcoholism Recovery Center is affiliated with centers in Uintah Basin, Ogden, Salt Lake City, Provo; and the Women's facility - the House of Hope in Salt Lake City. This affiliation is one of "confederation" in which the separate centers have joined together for the purpose of economy in centralized bookkeeping; publication of a tremendous volume of literature; conducting jointly with the University of Utah the School fo Alcoholism and other Drug Dependencies. That school is currently in session. The parent organization to. the separate centers and councils is the Utah Alcoholism Foundation. However, each recovery center is largely responsible for generating sufficient funds for operating expenses. The LDS Church, Cedar West Stake, 8th Ward contributes some food to the center. Several individuals in Cedar City have memberships mem-berships in the Utah Alcoholism Foundation and some support comes from these sources. The Alcoholism Recovery Center is engaged in treatment, occupational oc-cupational programs, neighborhood services, publications and training. Also as a support home or half-way house. The Center personnel are active in crisis intervention in the lives of men and women in difficulty. The Center correlates activities with AA groups and relies upon them for much needful support despite the fact that the two are distinct and separate. The Center is not an AA facility since AA cannot be affiliated directly with any group, organization or political cause by virtue of the AA traditions. Mr. Joseph expresses the hope that citizens in Southern Utah will note that fact of the need for the service rendered by the Center. Any interested group or person may write a letter of protest of the closing of the Alcoholism Recovery ( enter by writing to: Mr. Douglas Dinsmore Executive Director 2880 South Main Street. Suite 210 Salt Lake City, Utah 841 ir, or by writing to Mr. Joseph. 237 South 300 West, Cedar City. |