We would all agree that contributing to the health and well-being of our young people is a worthwhile cause, but wise men like Jim Friday and Ted Johnson know firsthand that serving our youth fills our own soul and brings new meaning to life.
In 1989 Friday’s dream for children at risk due to domestic violence became a reality with the opening of the Fayette Youth Protection Home. Of course, Friday is the first to acknowledge the host of people crucial to making it happen: professionals (medical and business), elected officials, clergy, concerned citizens and caretakers. Included in this group, longtime friend, Ted Johnson, retired engineer with Georgia Pacific, drew the plans for the now existing two homes in Fayette and the late Bob Disharoon was instrumental in acquiring the site for the original home.
In the process, with its ups and downs, Friday and his group, dedicated to the urgent needs of our youth, paused to witness that a Higher Force in their midst was orchestrating the details of their cause. There was a knowing that the project would be successfully accomplished.
After two unsuccessful bids for Congress, Friday, a former Eastern Airlines pilot, had found his niche in retirement, that of helping children.
Somewhat bored and ready for a new assignment it was suggested to Friday by Asden Johnson that he talk to the former director of Fayette Youth Protection Home who in turn referred him to Nelson Price Treatment Center in Marietta. There, Friday and friends observed young people with substance abuse problems for a year, participating in their discussions, gaining insights into their needs. Friday and his group offered their own recommendations for more contact with recovering people and counselors.
Thus, DART, A New Beginning, Inc. was born, a nonprofit corporation composed of a group of citizens concerned about the growing alcohol and drug abuse problem among the young people of our community. DART is an acronym for Drugs/Alcohol Rehabilitation/Treatment, with its primary purpose being to help the young people of Fayette and surrounding counties recover from the problem of substance abuse.
Along with Ted Johnson, who became treasurer of the board for DART and later sketched the architectural plan of the new treatment facility, Friday immediately pursued as secretary of the board his friend of many years, Cecile Balkcum. “She is a wonderful person, has worked diligently for our cause, and has been with us from the beginning,” said Friday.
He was impressed with her talent for documenting detailed information when she served as secretary of the board for the Annual Air Show held at Falcon Field, Peachtree City. The Air Show had supported the Fayette Youth Protection Home by donating a percentage of its earnings to the cause. Eleven other board members have been added since Cecile, many pictured above.
“As board members we have traveled to numerous locations around the state for a firsthand look at the variety of treatment facilities and how they operate,” said Cecile. “Some of us also have friends and family who have suffered from the disease of addiction.”
Because of the affluence of our county some people may not believe that substance abuse is a problem; however, nothing could be further from the truth. Local law enforcement agencies, the Fayette County Health Department, Fayette County School System, Fayette Community Hospital, Department of Family and Children’s Services, were all consulted before the group moved ahead with its cause.
"We have a great need! In 2003 approximately 25 percent of the estimated 400 juvenile cases were related to drugs and alcohol," said Judge Tarey Schell, Presiding Juvenile Court Judge for Griffin Judicial Circuit (Fayette, Spalding, Pike & Upson). We cannot sentence these teens to Rehab; however, some of the likely candidates may be those teens given probation with treatment being part of their rehabilitation." Judge Schell is very supportive of the long term treatment facility and serves as an Honorary Board Member of DART.
Without exception they all concurred that the problem of teen substance abuse was serious, growing by leaps and bounds, needing our immediate attention. There is little help available on a local level for addicted teens. With these recommendations in mind, DART has set out to build a residential treatment facility in Fayette County.
The facility will be staffed with highly trained professional and paraprofessional personnel. The 9-month program will be based on the 12 steps of Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous aimed at young people between the ages of 12 and 17 years old. This is not a hospital, yet a regular visiting physician will be on staff. Administering medicine will not be the focus of recovery. There will also be recovering counselors on the staff, who have a greater understanding of what it feels like to experience addiction.
When asked why the long-term treatment of 9 months, Friday said, “Because of the length of time it takes to clear the mind, silence the obsession to pick up a drug or drink, and develop spirituality.”
As with the Fayette Youth Protection Home, Georgia Baptist Children’s Homes will provide the personnel and administer the program.
The preliminary plan calls for a 5,700-square-foot, self-contained home and treatment facility which can house up to 16 youngsters at a time. The estimated cost of the proposed facility, including land and furnishings is $490,000. Square Foot Ministries, Inc., a local nonprofit organization, similar to Habitat for Humanity, has agreed to partner with DART in the construction of the facility. Construction is set to begin the latter part of June, 2005.
Operating the facility and providing the program is estimated at a cost of $500,000 per year. Probably half of the young people receiving treatment will come from DFACS and the Juvenile Court System. Others will be referred by the families of the young people with an evaluation required for admission. Some financial help will be provided by state and local governments and even though families of youngsters will be required to pay a portion of the treatment, no one will be turned away because of their inability to pay. The bottom line is that the major cost of operation will have to be raised through donations from the community.
The goal by the board is to raise $100,000 by the time construction begins. Land acquisition is the next step in the process.
The first fund raising project will be a drawing for a Ford Ranger pickup provided by Gene Evans of Gene Evans Ford, Union City, valued at $15,000+. Only 300 tickets will be made available for $100 each, a tax deductible donation, beginning Wednesday, Dec. 22. The drawing will be March 17, 2005.
This is an urgent matter! Young people with substance abuse problems are in a life-and-death situation. Support is needed by the community as we embark on this tremendous task. Our kids are worth it. They are the most precious resource we have.
For more about DART and how to purchase tickets for the drawing of the Ford Ranger, contact Jim Friday, president of DART, at 770-631-2469 or Ted Johnson, treasurer, at 770-461-2388. You may write DART, A New Beginning, Inc., P.O. Box 143038, Fayetteville, GA 30214.
