Tommy Streeter, an outreach coordinator at the Indiana Center for Recovery and recovering drug addict, speaks during the Night of Hope and Recovery Thursday, Sept. 12. InkFreeNews photos by Liz Shepherd.

WARSAW — Approximately 125 people gathered at the Shrine Building for a Night of Hope and Recovery event on Thursday, Sept. 12, for a discussion on drug addiction within Kosciusko County.

Several speakers shared their stories connected to addiction. Tommy Streeter, a 26-year-old WCHS graduate, and recovering drug addict, shared his story of recovery. Streeter is working as an outreach coordinator at the Indiana Center for Recovery in Bloomington.

“The first time I got high was when I was 13, on weed,” said Streeter. “I was always an athlete in school and was considered one of the popular kids. But I never felt like I fit in with the popular kids or the other athletes, or anyone. I don’t know exactly why that is, but what I do know is that the first time I got high, I didn’t care about that anymore.”

As the years went on, Streeter became addicted to heroin. When he was 21, with the help of his parents, Streeter began seeking treatment at New Day Home, a drug abuse treatment home in Goshen. While at that recovery home, Streeter overdosed on heroin. The home was later shut down as a result.

“I did want to stop getting high, but I didn’t know what this disease was,” said Streeter. “I didn’t want to admit that I was an addict. I have a disease that tells me that I don’t have a disease. It tries to convince me I’m okay when I’m not.”

For Streeter, the seventh time of seeking help at a treatment center was the one that clicked and helped him on the road to recovery. Streeter has been sober for over a year.

“I remember the first time I led a group as a recovery coach,” said Streeter, “and when we were done, there were 14 people there and every single one of them in there gave me a hug and thanked me. That feeling right there was better than the first time I smoked weed or the first time I did heroin. And that was the feeling I started to chase.”

Jen Streeter, Tommy’s mother, also talked at the event about her experiences with being a parent of an addict.

“It never gets easier saying that I’m a parent of an addict,” said Jen. “It never does. But seeing him now, he [Tommy] has his own apartment and his own car, and he’s made so much progress.”

Jen focused her discussion on the group The Mom of an Addict, a weekly support group that helps educate and support parents who have a child struggling with substance use disorder.

The event’s host, Sara McNeal-Strahan Lenfestey, discussed her experience with losing a close friend to addiction.

“To hear those words about my friend being gone, to this day it still crushes me, because I wasn’t there,” said McNeal-Strahan Lenfestey. “I ended up losing my friend due to addiction. That day my friend died was the day a part of my heart died as well. I wanted to do this event in memory of my friend.”

Michelle Weidenbenner, a PAL facilitator, discusses her experiences with having family members who are recovering from drug addiction.

Michelle Weidenbenner, a PAL facilitator, talked with the audience about the importance of having support groups for parents of addicted children. PAL stands for Parents of Addicted Loved-Ones. In her presentation, Weidenbenner discussed making a visit to check on the well-being of her two grandchildren.

“When I got there, there was one of my granddaughters, jumping up and down on her mom, who was laying down prone on the couch,” said Weidenbenner. “I picked up the child and shook the mother. She finally woke up and just looked at me and then started folding clothes and acted like nothing was wrong. This is what happens when children are living with addict parents. No child’s shoulders are strong enough to bear the weight of their addicted parents’ choices.”

Weidenbenner told the audience her grandchildren have been in her guardianship for two years. The grandchildren’s parents are currently seven months sober and live in Florida, where they work for a faith-based recovery center.

The local PAL group meets from 7 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursdays at The HUB in Winona Lake.

Kevin Haines, executive director at A Bridge to Hope, presented information on what his organization does.

“There is a movement taking place in our community, but it’s not nearly big enough,” said Haines. “But there are big things happening.”

The organization runs a 24/7 hotline that focuses on helping people find treatment for their addictions while helping teach the community about addiction.

“We have two groups that are currently looking at bringing a detox facility to the area, to our county specifically,” said Haines. “It’s early, but I’m telling you when you start hearing about it, you need to jump on board.”

Haines said there is a need for more recovery homes.

“We have five in the county,” said Haines. “But there’s a waiting list and they’re full and we need more.”

A Bridge to Hope’s hotline number is (855) 807-4673.

Kevin Haines, executive director for A Bridge to Hope, discusses the organization’s resources during the event.