Text Box:   The mentally afflicted are ordinary people. We bleed, we sweat, and we cry.  We struggle to live between the world of reality and the worlds within our minds.   Although we may have a multitude of people who speak to us from the realms within, we need healthy contact with actual people.  We need to feel that somewhere we are accepted and that despite stigma we have a place in society.    Sometimes we may feel that we are talked about more than we are spoken to…….. in a world where we have been hospitalized, scrutinized and supervised, it is nice to have a place where we can be socialized and maybe make a friend or two.   The Ark House  helps members through group therapy sessions, working in units and socializing with others who may have very similar problems.  Members who experience crisis may choose the option of attending clubhouse rather than going back into a hospital setting. The Director and staff are very supportive and are always looking out for our best interests.    One cold winter day, she smiled and said the words, “Come in out of the cold” and I felt that she was not just inviting me into the warmth of the house but the warmth of her friendship.  I would be privileged to have her call me “friend” and hope she knows her act of kindness showed her to be my friend as well.                                                                    Linda Lemon Text Box: Members Focus on Recovery Text Box:  

Text Box: ARK HOUSE HEARLD August and September 2006

Text Box: Clubhouse Opened On Saturday? Text Box: On Saturday August 19,2006 the Ark House was opened as a consumer run weekend day. `It was suggested by the CERC– Consumer run counsel run clubhouse that day. The consumers run the clubhouse made Text Box: up there own rules, planned there own menus and mostly run it themselves. 1 staff person was there but they went upstairs to do paperwork. We had 14 members that day. It was mostly social ,some did board Text Box: games, cards, and Karaoke singing. The day lasted from 10 am to 2 pm. All had a good time and look forward to the next one.                 Jeff Ratliff Text Box:   Text Box: