Club Business
President Brian Dement opened the meeting. Jim Cartner prayed and led us in the pledge of allegiance to the flag. Brian reminded us that our District Conference will be at Pinehurst, May 25-27. The club can offer limited financial assistance to those who plan to attend. He also encouraged each member to give $100 to the annual fund. Time is running out to give this year. Brian asked anyone in the club who is not a Paul Harris Fellow to please get in touch with him or Debbie Porch, so they can explain how the club can help you in this area. He mentioned that our new member directories are available, compliments of Jason Crutchfield and PIP Printing.
Happy Dollar Announcements
- None today…
Club Member Responsible for Our Program: Dr. John Beshel
John holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Anatomy from Palmer University and a Doctorate of Chiropractic from The Palmer College of Chiropractic in Davenport, Iowa. He is currently a member of the North Carolina Chiropractic Association and the American Chiropractic Association. He moved to the Burlington area in 2000 to establish his practice, Beshel Chiropractic Center. Seven years ago his brother also came to Alamance County to set up his part of the practice in Graham. John has two children, one in college and one at Western High School. He has been a member of our club since 2003 and is a Paul Harris Fellow.
Program: Jay Doss – Living Free Ministries
Jay Doss is an Alamance County native, who grew up in a good family, but made some bad decisions as a young man and suffered by addiction from alcohol. Jay says that God delivered him from alcohol and restored his family. In 2008, Jay and his wife Christie felt that God was putting on their hearts a desire to establish a ministry to help other addicts to be restored. They travelled to Okeechobee, Florida to visit a friend in a recovery program for addiction. Dunklin Memorial Camp, a Drug and Alcohol Regeneration Ministry and Training Center turned out to be more than a destination. For the Doss family, it became Divine inspiration. Knowing that their dream was to run a Regeneration Ministry Program in Alamance County, the family sold almost everything they had and moved to Florida for an intense thirteen month training program. Immersing themselves at Dunklin, Jay and Christie gained the knowledge and leadership skills to begin their own program.
In January of 2010, Living Free Ministries acquired a 56 acre farm in Snow Camp, North Carolina. It is on this farm that men in need of breaking the chains of addiction can find guidance and tools to develop a relationship with God. This Christian based program focuses on regeneration as opposed to rehabilitation. While most rehabilitation programs focus on helping the addict return to “an original state”, a regeneration program centers on being an “instrument of hope”, helping an addict experience a true heart change and a newfound relationship with Christ.
Living Free Ministries requires a six month commitment. The men must be physically safe (having completed detoxification), and must be willing to work hard to change themselves mentally and spiritually. The program is divided into three phases, with the first being the Residential Regeneration Program. It is during this phase that the men focus on developing a relationship with God, and with the other men in the program. The second phase, Inner Healing, concentrates on teaching the men that “forgiveness is the key to spiritual maturity and that the cross is the focal point for all forgiveness”. The final phase is Discipleship Training, in which the men learn to “take the focus off his addiction and who he used to be and begins to walk in the truth of who God says he is”.
The Ministry also provides biblical family counseling as a “vital part of the overall reconciliation process”. Families, supported by God as their anchor work alongside the men to find forgiveness and to rebuild a relationship that so often has been severely damaged from the effects of the addiction. The families are encouraged to visit on the weekends and receive guidance and spiritual instruction.
In addition to receiving biblical counseling and other teachings, the men are required to work five to six hours per day, either caring for the animals on the farm, maintaining the land, or working at the two Living Free Thrift Stores, one in Graham and one in Mebane. By doing this volunteer work, the men learn to use interpersonal skills, work as part of a team, and maintain a good work ethic, all while in a healthy and supervised environment.
As a not-for-profit corporation, Living Free Ministries depends on donations from individuals, churches and businesses. By reason of being religious in nature, Living Free is excluded from most government grants and/or financial assistance. Private donations make up about 65% of the funding, with the Thrift Store providing the remaining 35%. The men are not charged for the program, which means that Living Free depends on community support. So far 20 men have graduated from the program. Currently 24 men are enrolled. Two men from the program shared their stories with the group. Currently a women’s ministry is being planned.
Conclusion
David Moore’s table had the winning raffle ticket today, but he failed to draw the winning card. We all stood to recite Rotary’s four way test before Brian adjourned the meeting.