A drop-in centre for adults living with mental illness is asking the community for short-term financial assistance so they can keep their doors open.
Arrowhead's clubhouse is moving into the old RCMP building in Sechelt, but delayed renovations and a lack of funding have the club's users and board members brainstorming for a solution.
"I'm excited now. I think we can pull this off," said Bob Smith, chair for the board of directors. "These are people who need community support. They need a safe place where they can support one another."
The clubhouse is sometimes a refuge when mental "dis-ease" is getting the better of a person. Arrowhead is also a place where participants, who come from all areas of the Sunshine Coast, can access employment skills training and find peer support.
"There are about 45 registered users," Smith said. "It is a community-based program. The clinical model treats the illness and a community model tends to treat the whole person."
Fred Taylor is president of the Sunshine Coast Com-munity Services board of directors and a District of Sechelt councillor. He has been involved in the evolving plans for Arrowhead's permanent home in the old RCMP building, with additional housing units for adults with mental illness available after the 2010 Games.
"They need interim support until the clubhouse is finished and BC Housing [determines how much funding they will give]. By May [2010] at the latest, they would be in a very sustainable situation," said Taylor.
The new project is comprised of a large partnership. The District of Sechelt is waiving development cost charges and will hold a lease with BC Housing. Sunshine Coast Community Services will manage the overall program while Vancouver Coastal Health offers clinical outreach services and staff support.
Construction Aggregates was the first party to put forward money in support of the project and those funds were matched by provincial grants. Wakefield Homes will be the construction project manager while Coast Community Builders' Association has offered support.
The Real Estate Foun-dation assisted with development costs, BC Housing will provide financial assistance and eight housing units are being donated by VANOC once the Games are completed. Capilano University is an ongoing partner that regularly offers computer training to Arrowhead members. The future clubhouse will double as a community room for those who end up living in the subsidized units.
Smith and the board of directors have come up with the Bridge the Gap campaign and are asking citizens, businesses and all local governments to come through with grants-in-aid and cash donations so Arrowhead can continue services for its vulnerable membership.
"It's critical money for them to continue operating. Things have been delayed due to no fault of Arrowhead," Taylor said.
Denise Herbert, the full-time staff person at the clubhouse, said they have enough money to get through June and July, at which point they will be paying for things month to month.
Next to rent, Herbert said food is a big part of their budget as members shop for groceries and cook meals at the house five days a week.
"A lot of members don't have anywhere else to go," Herbert said. "This is a place to connect with everyone. Some want to spend the whole day to stay away from things that [trigger symptoms]."
Powell River-Sunshine Coast MLA Nicholas Simons said Arrowhead has been on his radar since running for his first term in office.
"Here we are again. It's back in the news. We've been fighting tooth and nail to keep this valuable program operating," said Simons. "The operational funding is there once they're in. We have to make sure they don't fail before they have the opportunity to move in."
Herbert said Arrowhead, located on Cowrie Street in Sechelt, was welcomed by neighbours, and representatives from the clubhouse have already begun to introduce themselves to their future neighbours who are also proving to be positive. To help Arrow-head reach its goal of $80,000, contact Herbert or Smith at 604-885-0989.
