By Tanya Cronin

The Blue House Men’s Recovery Program gets set to open its doors

May 23, 2018 | 4:38 PM

KAMLOOPS — It’s focused on 100 per cent sobriety, and will give men in our community overcoming drug and alcohol addiction, a safe place to rebuild their lives. Historically, ‘The Blue House’ – a heritage building located downtown, was a transitional house but it hasn’t been in operation for the past few years. On June 1, the home will once again open its doors, as the only men’s recovery house in Kamloops, providing an abstinence-based environment.

The first pieces of furniture are being moved into what will soon become a much needed sanctuary for men in addiction recovery.

“What we need is a lot more options for folks to get well and this is our small contribution to say we want to do something that really supports full sobriety and abstinence from addictions,” says Bob Hughes, Ask Wellness Society executive director. 

‘The Blue House’ is a sober living, 6 bedroom home on 4th Avenue downtown, that will provide a safe and supportive environment for seven men – 18 years and up – recovering from alcoholism or drug addiction. The highly structured program, the first and only one of its kind in Kamloops.

“It is a 12-step very traditional recovery model of support for folks with addictions, both alcohol and substance use, unlike a lot of the approaches we are taking now which are incredibly vaulable, that are more of a harm reduction initiative.”

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Ask Wellness in partnership with St. Paul’s Cathedral, will open the doors June 1. The program will provide accountability, shared living space, and help the men, who will be referred from treatment programs around the city, transition into their new lives.   

“The first couple of guys are going to be solid, between 6 and 12 months sobriety and working their recovery program and then we’ll start bringing in people who don’t have as much recovery time,” says Pamela Jacobson, Ask Wellness addictions programs coordinator.

The home is being renovated, and in order to give those who will be living here the best possible start, donations like men’s hygiene products, pots and pans, pillows and sheets are needed.

“We need things like a couple of air conditioners, mini fridges for the guys rooms, we need a couple of fans just to keep the air going because it’s an older house, landscaping like flower boxes to make it nicer for the guys, and hoping to get some things for the walls that are men 12 step appropriate, and pantry goods like non-perishables.”

The 100 per cent sober living space, comes at a time of crisis and an epidemic of drug overdoses. It’s hoped The Blue House will create a sense of therapeutic community, and give recovering addicts, who have seen the darkest of days, a fresh and strong start.

“We know the statistics are pointing to men between the ages of 25 and 49 of being the primary target for efforts to support reductions in drug use and alcohol use, these are the ones who are dying from overdoses of opiates, and this is going to be a home for seven men that will provide support services from ASK and community partners,” says Hughes.

If you would like to donate any household items to The Blue House Recovery Program, contact Pamela Jacobson at the Ask Wellness Society – 250-371-4665.