Friday marked nine years since Owensboro Regional Recovery (ORR) opened its doors to the community. In that time, the local drug treatment center says they have helped 2,300 men who’ve come through their doors.
“They all have families, friends, jobs and we have impacted them in a very meaningful way,” said ORR Director Sarah Adkins.
Adkins has been the ORR director since the the facility’s inception. While things weren’t always easy at the start, Adkins has acclimated to her position very well over the last nine years.
“For me, it was one day at a time in the beginning,” Adkins said with a laugh. “It was so new. We needed to learn everything. It was a little bit of a whirlwind.”
After the whirlwind died down, Adkins realized she found great fulfillment in her position at ORR, and a lot of that she attributes to the clients who come to treatment center for help.
In her line of work, Adkins is most fulfilled when she sees a client complete the program at ORR and go on to become a success story.
“There’s no huge, big thing I can say has stuck out to me [over the last nine years], but it’s just seeing the clients be successful. Some of them have come in without a GED, and have gone on to get their college degree. Some have bought homes. Some have started businesses,” Adkins said.
The support from the community has also proven significant in keeping ORR a success story, according to Adkins. Support not only comes from the community itself, but from former clients who’ve completed treatment at ORR. Adkins said many of their alumni have continued to give back to the program — whether it be financially, as 12-step sponsors, or as mentors and speakers to those who currently reside in the program.
“The level of support is amazing,” Adkins said.
Adkins encourages the community to keep up with ORR on their Facebook page.
