The Fulton County Jail Chemical Addiction Program had its first female class graduate Thursday, March 28, at the Fulton County Jail. The program helps inmates deal with chemical addiction while teaching them life skills. Shown from left are JCAP Co-coordinator Hector Fernandez, graduate Rosa Rosas, Fulton County Sheriff Travis Heishman, graduate Dana Looney and JCAP Co-coordinator Debbie Fernandez.

Text and Photos
By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

ROCHESTER — A lotus symbolizes “new beginnings,” among other things according to information from the Fulton County Jail Chemical Addiction Program.

Thus new Fulton County JCAP graduates Rosa Rosas and Dana Looney chose the flower as the theme for the JCAP session they were part of.

The two were the first female graduates of JCAP in the county and celebrated at a ceremony on Thursday, March 28, at the Fulton County Jail.

JCAP, which exists in other counties in Indiana, allows inmates who volunteer to join it to address their chemical addictions while taking life skills classes, with service providers helping with both.

During the ceremony, Rosas and Looney thanked the service providers and others who assisted with the program, handing out thank-you cards to them.

There were also several speakers, including Fulton County Sheriff Travis Heishman.

He congratulated Rosas and Looney.

“If the program were easy, we would have graduated several more today,” Heishman noted. “This program is tough. It takes quite a bit of commitment.”

He thanked Fulton County JCAP Co-coordinators Hector and Debbie Fernandez.

“None of this would have been remotely possible without their hard work and dedication and for that, I’m forever grateful,” said Heishman.

He also thanked Fulton County Jail Commander Cathi Collins and Assistant Jail Commander Marty Ehlinger.

“I’ve got to say, without Marty and Cathi’s buy-in, none of this would have been possible,” said Heishman.

Heishman also thanked the various JCAP service providers and the graduates’ friends and family.

Debbie also spoke.

She noted service providers wouldn’t speak at the ceremony unlike at the first Fulton County JCAP men’s class graduation last year.

“Last session, we had all the service providers get up and speak, but we have grown in that area, praise God for that because otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to do what we do,” said Debbie.

She thanked the following providers, program mentors and contributors: First Federal Savings Bank; WorkOne; Rochester Community Schools; Purdue Extension; Artful Expressions; 4C Health; Modern Materials; Warsaw Adult Education; The Cross church; Fulton County Public Library; Snyder Counseling; Faith Outreach Center; Yoga with Aimee Trout; Fulton County Animal Adoption and Education Center; Celebrate Recovery Inside; Narcotics Anonymous; Drug Free Fulton County; Sandra’s Sweet Cheats; Starbucks; Heartland Church; Sheriff Travis Heishman and Angie Heishman; Grace Church; Cathy Murphy; Tammy Wilson; and Martina Beliles.

Debbie also thanked Rosas and Looney “for not giving up.”

“The reason I am so hard is because I know it’s possible,” she said. “And I believe in you. Hector believes in you.”

Debbie also thanked those associated with the jail, including Collins. She gave Collins a plaque from Hector and her to thank her. It reads “Commander Cathi Collins. Jail Mom Since April 8th, 2015.”

Hector closed out the ceremony.

“You made it!” he said to Rosas and Looney. “I’m so proud of you.”

He thanked those who helped with JCAP for “investing in the lives of others.”

“And it works. The program works,” said Hector.

He encouraged the women to stay strong after they get released from jail and referred back to the lotus symbol.

“Just like the lotus, it grows in murky waters, but it rises above the murky waters,” said Hector. “When you get out, there’s going to be murky waters. Remember the lotus. Remember the rise above the murky waters.”

The next Fulton County JCAP class should start in July, said Collins at the ceremony.