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BISBEE — Struggling to survive in an economy that is at best dismal, Verhelst Recovery House is running out of money.
To turn things around, at least for a while, director Hal Steele turned to local musicians for help. Old Bisbee Music, a consortium of local musicians, is the driving force behind the effort to raise funds and awareness with a benefit concert.
Don Simonis, of the West Texas Millionaires and Old Bisbee Music, has been the go-to person ever since the concert idea was floated. As word got around, the concert turned into a six-hour event to be held at Turquoise Valley Golf Resort in Naco, Ariz., on Sunday, Jan. 11.
Rock for Rehab will start at noon and run until 6 p.m. It features some of Bisbee’s favorite groups like the West Texas Millionaires, Buzz and the Soul Senders and Nowhere Man and Whiskey Girl. Solo acts Dylan Thoomas of The Evolution, Carolyn Toronto and Sean Tractman of Train Wreck will also perform.
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Tractman said, “I’m doing this because it’s a good cause. Verhelst has helped a lot of people and I’d like to see it continue. I was thrilled when Don (Simonis) called me.”
“We tried to figure out a good venue. You can’t hold a concert at a bar for a recovery house,” said Simonis. “So we thought of the golf course. Pete Campbell, manager of the resort, and Morgan-Douglass, resort activiites, jumped right in and donated the golf course and all the proceeds from food to Verhelst.”
People who attend are urged to bring non-perishable food items and yard sale items that the home can use or sell, added Simonis.
“They have been operating the past few years with no government funding. Judges will often send men from four counties to Verhelst, but they don’t pay anything for that,” said Simonis. “This is a Bisbee response to a four-county problem. It’s an important resource in our community. We need to do all we can to save it.”
Any high-end donations of goods that are received will be auctioned off between sets. Hotels and restaurants have joined the cause and other Bisbee businesses are jumping onboard with donated rooms, dinners and art that will go to the highest bidders.
The home that gets addicts off drugs and alcohol has helped hundreds of men since opening its doors in 1969.
With funding completely halted from Southeast Arizona Behavioral Health Services, Steele may be forced to shutter its doors if alternate funding sources cannot be found. At $3,000 a month to run the facility and rising costs for utilities and food, the home will soon have great difficulty meeting its financial obligations.
Programs to help them learn skills and earn GEDs are important to bring the men back into society and become productive citizens.
“We were able to hold some funds in reserve from prior years of SEABHS funding, but now that is nearly depleted. I have only half the money needed to cover our bills,” added Steele.
In addition to funding, Steele is looking to start up a new board. The facility has operated without one over the past few years and a new board with energized and committed members of the community are needed to maintain the home and programs in place by seeking funding from new sources.
The home is kept up by the six men who have chosen to take back their lives and fight their addictions. They are often called upon to help out in the community and volunteer their time to assist in worthwhile projects as well. Last year, two men from Verhelst helped demolish a mobile home owned by a single mother who lost her 18-month-old son in the fire that destroyed it.
Simonis said, “I have been hiring them for the past few years to help. They are a big help to us during the Blues Festival. They help us clean up and do all sort of tasks.”
That’s important, because the men cannot stay there for free. They have to pay a weekly fee of $100, which by policy allows the men to work it off at the rate of $10 an hour by doing tasks at the home. Money they earn in outside jobs is held for them so they have a money to get them going when they feel they can make it on their own.
“I think this is great.” added Steele. “It gives me a lot of hope.”
• Noon — Dylan Thomas of The Evolution
• 1 p.m. — Carolyn Toronto
• 2 p.m. — Sean Tractman (Train Wreck)
• 3 p.m. — Nowhere Man and Whiskey Girl
• 4 p.m. — West Texas Millionaires
• 5 p.m. — Buzz and the Soul Senders
The donation per person is $5 and everyone is being asked to bring an item of non-perishable food or something for a yard sale or the auctions to be held between sets.
The Verhelst Recovery House, 936 Tovreaville Road, is seeking donations of food, money and yard sale items. It also is looking for work for the men in the program.
Volunteer board members are also needed to help the facility.
For information, call 432-3764.
To send a donation, the mailing address is P.O. Box 4098, Bisbee AZ 85603.
Herald/Review reporter Shar Porier can be reached at 515-4692 or by e-mail at shar.porier@bisbeereview.net.
Becky Reyes wrote on Jan 7, 2009 9:23 PM: