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COMMUNITY On a ourneyof rec~ Hope Place treatment centre transfonning lives By Stephanie Hounseli CANADIAN CHAMPION STAFF O nthe pillow of a bed at tbe treat- ment centre is a letter froma arranger. A arranger wbo knows exactly bow the woman soon to be assigned to tbat bcd will feel wben she cbecks in tomorrow Frtgbtened. AMorte. lsolated. And witbout the onc tbîng tbat sinmultancously brougbt comfort and destrnaction - alcobol or drugs. I was only a montb ago tbat the lerter- writer - wbo juat graduated from tbe pro- gram ar Hope Place Womens Treatment Centre - was in that very situation. 1 want you ro know you're in a safe place now,- the paper reads. This bed isot the only one witb a letrer. Eacb of tbe 12 beds, carefully made and wait- ing for tbe nexr group of clients, bas one. Some are sbort, some are long, some basic and some cloquent, but eacb one conveys a deep, sincere bebief tbar by tbe rime tbe recip- lent is ready to leave tbe trcatiment centre, sbiell be mucb better off. Dawn Ntcbol, an addiction counsellor at Hope Place in Milton, explains cacb woman s asked to write a letter wo ber replacement bel'ore she leaves tbe 24-day program. "Tbey're ai afraid,- Ntcbol says of arrtv- ing clients. She sbould know. It was 17 years ago tbat sbe was assigned ru bed number tbree. As abe stands ai tbe foot of tbe bed, tbe memories return. At the tender age of 12, Niebol began stealing ber mothes marijuana, tbrowung ber ito a flfe of dninkrng, drugs and addtc- tion. When she was 3 1, ber workplace rcquired tbat sbe attend rebab, and so began bier jour- ney te, recovery tbanks ru Hope Place. "This place is full of love, ir really is," she says, explaining wben tbe women arrive, they're scared, judgmental and foul of trauma. When they leave, they look happy and as tbougb a burden bas been lifted. Hope Place Womcn's Treatment Centre bas been around for 19 years. lt currently treats 12 women at a lime, but will soon increase ici 15, wtîb tr e e- beds for paytng clients. Fverv rnontb, tî takes tn a new ., round of women ... wbo range from teens t0 seniors. Hope Place Centres is a non- profit, umbrella organizaton tbat, in addi- tion ru tbe womcn's trialmnent centre, includes Halton Recover Hotîso (for men) and Hope Place (iurpattent Centre. Il reccises funding frorn tbe Unîkcd Ways of botb Milton and Oakvillc as wcIl as tbe Mississauga Haltun Local Hicalth Integratton Network. A recent open bouse sbowrcased ils new wing, wbicb includes thre additîonal beds - two for pregnant womien - plus a ncw kitchen and clîning rot and a spacious workspacc for staff' ti cosi tmore tban $500,000, witbi soi-e lunds front the Mtnistry of l-lealtb and sorte frota vigorous fundraising. Thie facility - wbîcb looks front the oui- side and inside like a large family borne - is tucked away at tbe end of a long, wooded driveway off Regional Road 25, surrounded by nature. "Wben 1 first came bere for an interview, 1 drove up tbe road and tbougbt, 'Wow.' OFF ~ 0/OF 0 F F ONLY$5.99 PER KIT 50/oF 100OF 15"0 OF15% OFFst e. abmn Air Filter 0,1 & Fitter Fuel Injector Cooaina Ki . in ha ako Mýo nrS, ý Replacement Change Service Service System Service tes- o______ Wn5 Ontrl a.. hn.h Mdlo.n GRAHAM PAINE / CANADIAN CHAMPION A RAY 0F HOPE: Counsellor Dawn Nichol reflects on her troubled past while Iooking out the wîn- dow f rom one of Hope Places new bedrooms. Inset left, a letter -which each woman s asked tovwrite - offers hope 10 the neat client. Ibere's something about this land," Nîchol The women arc allowed ru choosc thecir says at the open house as she shows visitors 12-step program, Nichol says, and Icarn tb around. follow a strict rotutine that includcs a 7 ar. The bedrooms - wbich contain a fcw wake-up, cbores and lcarning to ger along beds each b ave a cottagey feel. esee SUPPORT on page A12 Peace-of-Mînd Automatic Mopal Fuel System Ride and Handling Maintenance Service Transmission Service Service Special $5995' $9995' $7995t $79950 Service liodus.' Service ielina, Servie lacifdes. Service iniiles: V to 5 lirsof 5W30/5W20 ./Drain and fli transmission .'Ciean deposits troii . Wheei alilgment inciuding .'Mpar- oi filutiid injectors, intake valves and front and rear suspension .Rotairor of 4 tires Remove and replace tiiter combustion cisambers to systemn inspection .o Peace-ot-MrtS Inspectio n of nd gaskethe sorfuldivy '00"n ant ir asn Eectronic quicit îearo îesting Oeprsoetetdivr 1ateeiO componeet Oroke 55005.yst taf s onand cteverce etticiency and rediice tuel inspection s55te., suspenson /Mk ecsay n consomption .'Provide etritten cWriten report of ,rrtOQs aiosmetsslit andîabo report on tindiors Refreshing and In 15 jse n sp (itf pictnablee eepesdt le ti oa tîis te RasponIsible beverage baIlle as our gift whert you cace for your vehicle with a featured service special. [1 uS88..47-700] 81 ONTARIGST. N. MLTGIU nd rtn l-fr at nm§ný« rp n or fiI;A