The Chinook Society for Recovering Addicts (CSRA) has been operating in Lethbridge for more than 20 years, providing an affordable space to assist various 12-step groups.
A charitable non-profit organization, CSRA owns and manages the hall at 408 13 Street North, which it rents out to several groups, including Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Gamblers Anonymous (GA), and Cocaine Anonymous (CA).
The organization efforts to keep rent prices affordable so these support groups can have a safe, consistent space to meet.
“There are people honestly trying to stay sober and are staying sober within these rooms,” said chairperson Allan Jarvie.
Jarvie said for many, sobriety can’t be maintained alone.
“Twelve-step groups are very important for one’s longevity and sobriety.”
Jarvie acknowledged the ongoing opioid crisis and said he expects demand for support could go up in the future.
According to Jarvie, the facility currently sees around 950 to 1,000 total visits each month and receives donations from businesses and the public.
“We thank them very much for their donations and of course, we have to look to the future to keep the maintenance up on the building,” he said.
One of those donors is the Sober Riders motorcycle group which have been around in Lethbridge for the last three years.
With around 20 members, they aim to host clean and sober events that are also fun for the community, such as their motorcycle rodeo.
“We just want (to) show that there’s another way to live and you don’t have to throw your life away necessarily just to have fun,” said chair Bobby Yeske.
“The first year we raised money for Streets Alive and their recovery program and last year we managed to raise around $3,000, maybe a little more, for Chinook Society.”
Yeske said getting sober was “probably the best decision” he ever made. He marked 13 years sober on Tuesday after struggling with addiction in his younger years.
“I didn’t see another option, especially in my teenage years,” Yeske admitted. “Everybody’s drinking, everybody’s partying and it’s just easy to kind of fall into that trap.
“To come into a place that they can feel safe and freely talk to other people that have been through it is the ultimate solution I find, for myself and others.”
More information on getting help with substance use can be found here.
Sober Riders encourages interested members to reach out on Facebook.