Teen Challenge Alberta Expansion Update/Fall Gala Invite
/Greetings from your Teen Challenge Family!!
I wanted to start out by thanking you personally on behalf of all the staff, students, their families and the communities we serve. It’s truly because of Supporters like you that have stood in the gap to make the expansion of our new centre possible!! I also wanted to take this opportunity to give you a bit of an update on the expansion and let you know about our Fall Virtual National Gala.
Fall Gala
On Thursday Nov 18 at 7pm will be hosting a Fall National “Virtual” Gala featuring our National Men and Women’s Choir, testimonies of Students and Grads from across Canada, a word from our CEO and Director of Development. Tickets are $25 to watch from the comfort of your own home or you can join us at one of our host venue sites. The benefit of joining us at a host site will also allow you to hear a bit of a local update from your local Centre.
Host Venue Sites
Calgary – Bonavista Evangelical Missionary Church
Lethbridge – College Drive Church
Edmonton – Christcity Church
Here is a link with more info: https://www.teenchallenge.ca/virtual-national-gala21
Expansion Update: (Please see attached for most recent photos)
The recent expansion is part of our response to the surge of people wrestling with addiction and desperately seeking help in Alberta. Communities across Canada are awakening to the growing epidemic of drug use and the inevitable crisis of addiction that follows. Opioid related overdoses have increased by at least 40% in Alberta. A recent article shows overdose rate up by 153% in January/February of 2021 alone. Covid-19 has contributed to a worsening addictions crisis, including an increasingly toxic drug supply, deepening feelings of isolation and stress, and the restricted availability of treatment services. Tragically, 1705 people died of opioid toxicity between July and September 2020, a 5-year high in deaths per quarter.
To combat that, we are excited to share an update on the expansion. I was hoping to send this update out last month but we ran into a issue with the water system. Initially when started the expansion our water system was approved, but there was some regulation changes that changed and put us back a couple months. Once we got that completed, we then ran into an issue with the global supply chain as we waited for 2 special UV lights to complete the water system. All this to say we are well under way now with that all behind us.
Occupancy Permit Application:
Couple of key inspections completed this week, plumbing and health. Both went very well, the water system passed and the water sample passed the test as well. Just working on final sign-offs with our Engineering firm. Should be able to apply for occupancy next week. If all goes well we should be moving over in the next couple weeks. Please see attached for some most recent photos.
Below is a short message from one of our recent graduates…
“The program at Teen Challenge far exceeded any expectation of any treatment facility that I could imagine, proving there is hope and help out there and that anything is possible. Restoration and wholeness have happened in all areas of my life giving me hope and a purpose to carry on. I think the program as it stands is a very good path towards total recovery and healing….”
In closing I wanted to send this update out ahead of our Fall Gala to personally invite you out for our Fall Gala for you to see first hand the work the Lord is doing through you to make this program possible!! I also wanted to take this opportunity to invite you out for a personal tour, again for you to see first hand the vital work you have supported to make this expansion possible!! If that interests you, please reach out as I would be honored to host you!!
Sincerely,
David Tait (08 Graduate)
David Tait CPPA, AMVIC
Senior Development Officer | Teen Challenge Canada
C 403.870.8157|O 403.931.3501 ext 7412 | David.Tait@teenchallenge.ca
“Hope Lives Here; Freedom is found here; Changed lives leave here”
Don Wilkerson