COMMUNITY OUTREACH – SANDHILLS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, MOORE COUNTY FREE CARE CLINIC – DINING IN THE PINES FUNDRAISER

Heidi Martens, the committee chairperson for the Dining in the Pines Fund Raiser for the Moore County Free Care Clinic in Southern Pines, admin@morrefreecare.org, discusses the work of the Clinic and the interactive approach of networking and raising money for the Clinic during their upcoming October dinner event. Town Manager of Pinehurst, Andy Wilkison, church member Sheila Theune, and church administrator John Griessel talk about their relationship and participation with Sandhills Teen Challenge, Habitat for Humanity, Sandhills Coalition for Human Care & the Life Care Pregnancy.

DINING IN THE PINES ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

A Decade of Caring… The Moore Free Care Clinic provides low cost health services to Moore County residents who cannot afford health insurance. The uninsured are still with us in significant numbers because our state did not expand Medicaid, leaving many whose incomes are too low to enroll in other Affordable Care Act coverage options. The Clinic is dependent upon the generosity of the community to sustain the critical services provided to its patients. The Dining in the Pines fundraising event is returning this year to coincide with the Clinic’s tenth anniversary. The Dining in the Pines Committee invites you to help this remarkable Clinic and its patients! WHAT is it? Volunteer hosts invite as many friends as they like to a dinner or a party at their homes or other venue of their choice. Special invitations are provided to hosts which will include a donation card. Guests will be asked to make at least a $50 a person donation to the Clinic. The size and theme of the individual events is up to the hosts. Two or more have joined together and hosted large buffet dinners. Other ideas — barbecue or picnic? Candlelight dinner? Cocktail party? Hosts are not expected to make a donation as they will be providing the food and beverages for the dinner or party. WHEN is it? The weeks of October 3 thru 18. The host will select his/her date. WHERE is it? Dinners or parties are held in homes or any other venue selected by the host. WHO does it? Volunteers, who host parties for their friends and neighbors. Hosts do not have to collect or solicit donations – they just send out the invitations. INTERESTED? If you would like to host or you would like more details, please contact: Diane Galusky 255-0248 or Jeane Kays 420-2876 or Marie O’Brien 295-2660.
Over the years, Dining in the Pines has raised almost $300,000 for the Clinic. Every dollar donated returns almost $13 in medical services and medication.
Sandhills Presbyterian Church is a congregation rooted in biblical, historic Christianity and affiliated with the Presbyterian Church in America; it is a member of Central Carolina Presbytery.
The constitution of the Presbyterian Church in America consists of its doctrinal standards set forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith, together with the Larger and Shorter Catechisms and the Book of Church Order, as constitutionally adopted by the church. The following documents, though not constitutional, are also helpful in understanding what we believe as a church: Westminster Confession of Faith, Modern English Version and, for children, the First Catechism.

SUMMARY OF OUR BELIEFS

From the PCA Website,

WHAT WE BELIEVE

We believe the Bible is the written word of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit and without error in the original manuscripts. The Bible is the revelation of God’s truth and is infallible and authoritative in all matters of faith and practice. We believe in the Holy Trinity. There is one God, who exists eternally in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We believe that all are sinners and totally unable to save themselves from God’s displeasure, except by His mercy. We believe that salvation is by God alone as He sovereignly chooses those He will save. We believe His choice is based on His grace, not on any human individual merit, or foreseen faith. We believe that Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who through His perfect life and sacrificial death atoned for the sins of all who will trust in Him, alone, for salvation. We believe that God is gracious and faithful to His people not simply as individuals but as families in successive generations according to His Covenant promises. We believe that the Holy Spirit indwells God’s people and gives them the strength and wisdom to trust Christ and follow Him. We believe that Jesus will return, bodily and visibly, to judge all mankind and to receive His people to Himself. We believe that all aspects of our lives are to be lived to the glory of God under the Lordship of Jesus Christ.

http://foreproperties.com/mp3/2014/Sept/ATMC-FreeClinic-9-2-14.mp3

Giving hope to those dealing with Mental Illness and Substance Abuse Disorders and their families.

Karen Wicker, Director of Drug Free Moore County and Reubin Burney, a counselor with Carolina Treatment Center of Pinehurst discuss the importance of celebrating recovery from mental illness and substance abuse disorders. .

With September being National Recovery Month, getting the word out on what is recovery, how to get help and celebrating those in long term recovery is vital to helping families live healthier lives. Mental Health and substance abuse disorders have long been silent diseases with families suffering alone. Mental illness often runs hand in hand with substance abuse, Patients all too often self medicate because they do not know where to go or have inadequate support from family or community.

This is the 25th year of the annual National Recovery Month recognition. This year’s Theme is “Join the Voices for Recovery: Speak Up, Reach Out.” The hope is to encourage people to openly discuss mental and substance abuse disorders and the reality of recovery support options. A Proclamation to support of Recovery Month will be signed by the Moore County Commissioners on Tuesday Sept 2nd.

Also in recognition of Recovery Month, Drug Free Moore County will be hosting a nationally acclaim documentary “The Anonymous People”. The showing will be Thursday September 11th at 6:30pm at Owens Auditorium on the Sandhills Community College Campus. Admission is free. Call the Drug Free Office at 910-947-1902 to register.

This is a feature documentary film about the more the 23 million Americans living in long-term recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. Deeply entrenched social stigma has kept recovery voices silent and faces hidden for decades. The moving story of The Anonymous People is told through the faces and voices of citizens, leaders, volunteers, corporate executives, public figures, and celebrities who are laying it all on the line to save the lives of others just like them.

There will be representatives from the Governors Institute on Substance abuse to conduct a question and answer session after the viewing of this powerful documentary. Counselors from local treatment and recovery facilities will also be in the lobby to provide additional information.

Karen and Reubin also provided insight into addiction as a disease, whether it be alcohol abuse, prescription drugs or illicit drugs. Although people may choose to experiment or even are prescribed certain types of drugs, there is a predisposition to becoming addicted. Most people who have mental health or substance abuse disorders are labeled as weak or not willing to get help. Celebrating recovery month is one way of trying to debunk this myth.

Reubin, a counselor with Carolina Treatment Center of Pinehurst, works with clients dealing with addiction on a daily basis. Counseling, referral to other supportive agencies and commitment are all a part of a successful recovery.

Reubin is a proud native of North Carolina. He lived in the New York area for thirty eight years. Reubin became a substance abuse counselor in 1999 upon completing the required training at Molloy College (NY). He subsequently earned NY State certification in 2002. Reubin has been with CTC of Pinehurst since returning to North Carolina in 2012. He states being a counselor at CTC is both challenging and rewarding.

Carolina Treatment Center is located at 20 Page Drive, Suite 8, Pinehurst, NC. CTC of Pinehurst is a comprehensive treatment provider utilizing Medicated-Assisted Treatment (in the formats of Methadone, Buprenorphine, Suboxone and Vivitrol) and intensive individual and group counseling (behavioral therapies, etc.) to treat Substance Use Disorder specific to opioid dependence. The staff consists of clerical, clinical, and medical personnel highly trained to promote abstinence and other positive treatment outcomes.

Karen Wicker has served on the Drug Free Moore County Board for over 10 years. She just recently came out of retirement to become the Director in March of this year. Karen is an educator by trade providing parenting programs, family support programs and assisting at risk families for over 29 years through the NC Cooperative Extension Service, Moore County Center.

Drug Free Moore County is a non-profit organization whose mission is to increase awareness, disseminate information and support to facilitate
prevention, intervention and treatment of substance abuse in Moore County. Local resources on prevention, treatment and recovery are available on line at Drug Free Moore County.org. The phone number is 947-1902 and email is drugfreemc@gmail.com.

http://www.foreproperties.com/mp3/2014/Aug/ATMC-DrugFreeMooreCounty-8-25-14.mp3