Realizing the need ASAP

Friday, a joint concert by two groups hopes to raise awareness and funds for a local organization fighting substance abuse. Sounding Joy, a women’s chorus, and Resonance, a men’s chorus will present a free performance at the Presbyterian Church. 

Barbara Hall, Stodghill Professor of Music, Emerita with Centre College, is the choirs’ director. She says choral groups in Danville have raised money for more than three decades to donate to causes. They have performed free concerts and taken donations for Greenhouse 17, the Danville-Boyle County Humane Society, the Salvation Army, the Danville Children’s Choir and the Community Arts Center. A benefit concert was even organized to donate to water protection efforts in Flint, Michigan. 

This year, the groups will support ASAP, the Agency for Substance Abuse Policy in Boyle County. 

“We perform because we love to sing, but we also love to share our passion for the music and texts, and — whenever possible — give enjoyment and support to our audiences and others in our community,” Hall says. “These groups will continue a tradition of accepting donations at the concert to help a community-based group in Danville.” 

Kathy Miles, ASAP’s coordinator, says community outreach like this is important to the organization. 

“We’re really appreciative that they thought of us at the holidays,” Miles says. She says before they begin, she will explain to the audiences what donations can do to help those fighting addiction. 

“The money we raise goes to help people go to treatment — people who have no insurance and no Medicaid. It can also help pay for them to get reimbursed for travel to treatment. We have some in the community who volunteer to drive others to treatment,” Miles says.

Volunteering to drive someone may not seem like a huge donation, she says, but when the area has no inpatient treatment or residential treatment facilities, this can be a make-it or break-it scenario for an addict — just having a ride to treatment. 

“If we get people to treatment, it can save their lives. We’ve lost so many people in Kentucky in the last year due to overdoses.”

Miles also encourages anyone who wants to help to come to their monthly meetings, always held 8:30 a.m. on the fourth Friday of each month at the Boyle County Health Department on South Third Street. 

“There are a variety of volunteer needs around the community, some that are more ASAP related, some more related to the addiction crisis that maybe some wouldn’t think would be a volunteer opportunity,” she says. 

For instance, the Shepherd’s House, the diversion treatment center working with the Boyle County Detention Center, is in need of volunteers who can mentor for adults in the jobs program there. She says mentors for the jobs program must pledge to meet with their mentee at least once a week for a minimum of six months, helping them adjust to being in the workplace after having been in jail and dealing with addiction. 

“To talk through job-related issues, and other issues that affect job performance, which obviously can help prevent relapses,” Miles says.

The program, called Circle of Hope, is provided through the Hope Network. 

“There is also a 12-step program, where they have a sponsor in the program, but also they need job mentors, as well.” 

The need for mentors is pretty huge, Miles says. 

“But our nervousness right now is health care and Medicaid. If they change and don’t require insurance to cover treatment or don’t expand Medicaid, this will all be a much bigger deal,” she says. Many people are only able to afford treatment due to expanded Medicaid, she says. 

“If this happens, there will be more need for privately raised funds. And if anyone wants to know more about using those funds for someone in their family who needs treatment, they can contact me or Brent Blevins at the Health Department.” 

Miles says for those who meet the criteria for treatment funds, it’s a very simple process after that. “We write a check to the treatment program, not to the person going to treatment,” she says. 

The group working to battle addiction locally can certainly attest to the needs, Miles says. 

“When people get treatment for recovery, it brings them into the tax-paying workforce,” she says. “People go to work, they pay taxes, they take care of their families because they’re able. We just all have to let everyone know that.” 

IF YOU GO 

Sounding Joy and Resonance will perform 7:30 p.m. tonight at the Presbyterian Church at Fifth and Main streets in Danville. The program is “Music Hath Charms” and contains selections for men separately, as well as two joint traditional pieces for Christmas. About half the program is seasonal. 

SO YOU KNOW

ASAP’s next meeting will be 8:30 a.m. Friday, Jan. 25 at the Boyle County Health Department. For more information, visit www.boyleasap.org or email kathy.miles@centre.edu. To find out how to get treatment for someone who can’t afford it and is battling addition, contact Kathy Miles, or Brent Blevins at the Health Department, (859) 236-2053.