Two best friends among Lifeline’s 39 new graduates form bond to help community

Lifeline Press Release, OCT. 25, 2021

Scottie and Malcom were the worst of friends, and the best of friends. They were at their worst when they spent years in addiction, and even jail time, together. They have become the best of friends since January 2021, when they entered Lifeline Recovery Center together for treatment.

On Saturday, they graduated the program together, along with 37 others, during the annual recognition of men and women who complete the nine-month, faith-based residential addiction treatment program.

A couple weeks before they graduated, they partnered on a fund-raiser to support Toys for Tots, raising more than $5,000 for the holiday toy program.

Lifeline executive director Ashley Miller said the two are perfect examples of the treatment program’s goal – to get people back on their feet to be contributing members of their community.

“They came in together,” she said, “and now they’re going out together, holding each other accountable for their sobriety. If not for Lifeline giving them the tools they needed to think about others, they couldn’t have provided this gift to Toys for Tots, which we supported as one charity investing in another charity to make our community better.”

Malcom said giving back is easy when he realizes what he has received. “I give back because if I hadn’t come here, I don’t think I’d be alive,” he said. “I always wanted to be alone and push everyone away. Now I love being involved and making a stand for recovery.”

Like his friend, Scottie sees his life now as full of possibilities and encourages anyone struggling with drug or alcohol addiction to have the courage to seek treatment. “Be bold, get excited about changing your life,” the new graduate said. “it’s a must!”

Started in 2004 in Paducah, Lifeline has served more than 2,000 people. Since tracking client statistics in 2013, its graduates maintain a 63 percent success rate of sobriety after one year. The nonprofit organization serves clients primarily from western Kentucky, depending on charitable donations for most of its budget to keep client costs low.

For more information, phone 270.443.4743.