On June 27th 2008 owners Jim and Kathy Antonowitsch
hosted an anniversary luncheon to commemorate Oasis Treatment Center’s
20th year of service to the recovering community. Celebrating with
friends, family, colleges, and alumni Jim and Kathy shared their
reflections of those first years and how it all began.
It was 1962, she was 17
and he was 21. They fell in love instantly and were married 6 months
later. They started their life off with dreams and hopes as most young
couples do, but had no idea what their future would have in store for
them. In late 1981, Jim was a man who had it all; beautiful homes, a
successful and thriving landscape business, a loving family and a
chronic addiction to alcohol that was threatening to take it all away.
By early 1982, a sick man; emotionally, physically, and spiritually;
committed to get sober after a series of demoralizing events. He was
determined to save his life and his family.
Although Jim was able
to stop drinking for 2 years, his life continued to spiral down and he
hit an emotional bottom. As fate would have it, he met a man that was
also sober but doing things a little different, he was involved in a
program called Alcoholics Anonymous and he was more than happy to
introduce this program to Jim. Little did they know in those early AA
years just what kind of miracles were waiting for them and where this
journey of recovery would lead them.
Now being 7 years sober
and working with over 50 other Alcoholics, it came to Jim that he could
do more. He and Kathy had a dream to find a way to give back what had
been given to them. They decided they would open a recovery house, a
place where people could come to get the help that they needed. Kathy
knew it could not be just any treatment center but a place of love and
forgiveness, a place to begin again and learn a whole new way of living.
Kathy was determined to find the perfect place and she did. Not
everyone could see the vision Kathy had when she first saw the house;
but Jim did. Others saw an old beat down crack house that should be
condemned but Kathy and Jim saw their dream. Once the owner of the
property heard what Kathy and Jim had planned for the house, he sold it
to them and the dream began.
In the beginning it was
just Jim, Kathy, a house manager, cook, and a part time counselor. It
didn?t take long before the word got out and as the number of clients
grew so did the staff. More and more people came, got sober and stayed
sober. Something very miraculous happened; it became a family. With
people coming back each year to pick up chips for lengths of sobriety at
a meeting they call Fireside it was becoming clear that this was a
house of love where miracles were born. Jim did the Fireside meeting
every week, worked with the residents, ran the business end of things,
did spirituality groups, and helped to make Oasis what it is today.
Kathy did various jobs over the years but her greatest gift is her Love
Group that she does every week. During love group Kathy passes out
treats and reads children’s stories. Through this group, Kathy found a
way to remind those affected by addiction that they are worthy of love,
life, and forgiveness.
Twenty years and
thousands of residents later, the couple is a little older, a little
wiser and not that much different. Jim will still promise every single
client that he will tell them the truth, teach them what he knows, give
them the tools to stay sober and share his life with them. Kathy will
still love each person, regardless of who they are, where they came
from, or what they have done. Jim and Kathy have had their own
hardships over the years; their only son was killed by a drug addict,
but their commitment to the Oasis has remained true. On any holiday you
can find them at the center, celebrating with their “Family”. While
Jim is past retirement age, you will not find him at home enjoying all
he has accomplished. Your best bet is at Oasis, talking to an addict or
alcoholic, teaching a spirituality group, leading a fireside meeting or
helping the staff. Kathy will be in her love group each Friday,
reminding people that they are loved and that there is hope.
Jim and Kathy had a
vision 20 years ago and it surpassed their wildest dreams. Oasis’s
original logo “Love Will Give You Wings.” has continued to give the
residents their wings to stay alive. And when asked what the future
holds for the Antonowitsch’s ; for the most part, they plan to spend it
with their “Family”; the Oasis Treatment Center.
