According to Holly Cherry, Transitional Living Director of Neartown, Inc. “Murray can be a little ‘boojie’” at times. What she means is that our community, like many others, prefers to see itself as upscale with a well-behaved populace, akin to the mythical Lake Woebegon: “Where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children above average.”
Explaining the origin of the name Neartown for Calloway County’s sober living environment for men, Cherry claims, “It was the first house outside city limits.”
Literally “near town” but not “in town.”
Since the name made sense, when a similar site for women was in the works, “Hertown” was the logical choice.
According to the website, the Neartown mission “is to provide a setting where individuals can learn about the disease of addiction and be introduced to a simple program of addiction recovery which, when applied daily, can lead to a life of fulfillment and meaning.”
Cherry’s role at Neartown, Inc., is a perfect fit. She exemplifies the bedrock values that describe her job while applying them to her own life.
“Recovery is a quest of mind, body and spirit,” she says, adding that maintaining health in those three areas is what helps her connect to the Creator and the people she works with.
Reflecting on her own past struggles with addiction she admits, “I recover out loud” — referring to the anonymity associated with 12-step programs.
“But I never want to let my 12-step program down,” she concludes.
When asked about the current state of addiction in Kentucky and around the country, Cherry points to the drug fentanyl as a major factor in a pervasive crisis that does not get much attention until it hits close to home.
According to Operation UNITE — an acronym meaning Unlawful Narcotics Investigations, Treatment and Education — increased use of Fentanyl is the largest contributor to the rise in Kentucky’s death toll.
“Fentanyl’s in anything you can imagine,” Cherry reports.
On the national level, the same sentiments are echoed in the words of Dr. Nora D. Volkow, Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse. “Getting people into treatment for substance abuse disorders is critical,” the physician explained, “but first people need to survive to have that choice.”
Like Holly Cherry, she is referring to the deadly way in which Fentanyl is showing up in street drugs of all kinds, including heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and counterfeit Adderall.
Of the 107,622 overdose deaths in America last year, Fentanyl was responsible for two-thirds of them.
To address the challenges associated with recovery, programs like Neartown are essential, but there are not enough of them. In the Purchase Area Development District, there are only 319 beds available for men in recovery and just 41 for women.
“Women are the center of the family,” Cherry explains. “If the children get taken away, there is a ripple effect on everyone.”
She went on to explain that residential support like that provided by Hertown can go a long way to aid recovery. “If the mother can get her children back, maybe her husband or partner will also seek treatment as she gets better.”
“One person can be the seed that restores the family,” she declares, adding that addiction is frequently a primary factor in the story of a family in crisis.
Getting to see a family restored, getting to see the light go off in the eyes of a person in recovery, is one of the reasons Holly Cherry loves what she does. “They become people of service. They see the Creator and they help others.”
Lately, Holly has been working to raise funds for Hertown, a 16-bed, in-patient facility for females. “It will cost millions of dollars,” she says.
Taking one step at a time toward this ambitious goal, Holly Cherry points to a flyer for “Night of a Thousand Laughs,” a Neartown, Inc. event on February 24, with proceeds to benefit Hertown. At $1000 per table, the highlights of the night will include standup comic Jamal Gardner and a musical performance by Calon B & the Hive. The keynote speaker has not yet been announced.
Table sales are in full swing, according to the Neartown Facebook page. Questions can be directed to Mike Bogan at 270-226-1333.
As the goal takes shape, Holly Cherry looks forward to seeing more people grow as they move away from addiction to sober living through programs like Neartown and Hertown. “I’m pretty certain that’s why God put me on this earth,” she declares.
For more information, contact Cherry at holly@neartownmurray.org.