PAGE 6, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 1985, WHITBY FREE PRESS Funding shortage threatens fate of rehabilitation centre By MAUREEN WILLIAMSON Destiny Manor "We're worth doing something about," says Darlene M. "We're wor- th helping." This 33- year-old drug and alcohol dependent woman is currently living at an alcoholism rehabilitation centre called Destiny Manor. Not only does this cen- tre provide a 28-day residential treatment program for alcoholism, but also offers After Care, a new program for women who have lost families, have few vocational skills and who need en- couragement to cope with problems they may face when they leave the facility. In addition, Destiny Manor is the only treatment centre of its kind in Durham Region. But because of limited funding, the Manor is in danger of closing its doors to those in need. Although support is provided by the United Way, Durham Social Services, a grant trom the city of Oshawa and other generous organiz- ations, Destiny Manor shows a deficit of $30,000. "I wish there had been a place like this when I was looking for sobriety," says Jerry Jones, assistant direc- tor of the treatment cen- tre. Opening in 1980, Destiny Manor was primarily a hostel that offered women a safe place to stay, however, there was no treatment counselling. Because of the rising statistics of alcoholism, especially among women, the need for a rehabilitation cen- tre was evident and in 1983 the Manor adopted an official treatment program. Now Destiny Manor serves between 75 and 90 women a year from the age of 16 to 75. Counselling is available to the resident seven days a week, 24 hours a day during the stay. All of the centre's counsellors, recovered CONT'D ON PG. 23 aff|3. Coete3! Regional councillor Tom Edwards bids farewell to Fairview Lodge's retiring administrator Muriel Coates. Free Press Staff Photo Warm send-off for Fairview's Lodge's retiring administrator Muriel Coates didn't want a big fuss kicked up over her retirement party last Thursday. After 32 years as ad- ministrator of Fairview Lodge -- Whitby's retirement home that only opened about two years before Muriel took office -- the in- dependently minded Coates wanted a quiet gathering of close frien- ds. This would have nicely rounded off the party given her by Fairview's residents on Wednesday afternoon. But what did she get? A gorilla gram and a room full of people who loved her and a bunch of speeches from politicians and fellow workers and lots of good, fresh food. There was even a big, beautiful cake eyed hungrily by a pretty lit- tle girl. The problem was that a lot of people felt like Gary Herrema, chair- man of Durham region, who said: "Muriel always used to tell me, 'now hold it a minute, I'm gonna talk at youl' Well Muriel, now I'm gonna talk at you." Herrema glossed over the disagreements they used to have about budget matters and said that the Fairview Lodge was no mere retirement lodge. It was a home. "And Muriel helped make it that way," he insisted. "We're here to say thank you," Herrema added. "We're not here to say goodby." Kathleen Reed Browne - administrator of Fairview before Muriel ·took over and now a residènt - sat smiling in her wheelchair throughout, listening closely to the speeches. "Muriel is my baby," she said at one point. "My big baby." Browne -- known affec- tionately as Aunt Kate -- nodded when asked if she was proud of Muriel. Taslyne Green, Fair- view's new ad- ministrator and Muriel's former assistant, quoted from an Irish blessing to help sum up the feelings of everybody present: "May God bless and keep you in the palm of his hand." Atter Muriel had wiped her eyes, she stepped up to the mike and showed everybody that she may be out but she sure isn't down. "I'l soon be sixty," she admitted. "There's no use lying about it. There's always somebody around who went to school with you." Then she quoted from her father, who gave her some advice over 32 years ago when she first started her new job at Fairview. "He told me three things," she said. "First, have as little as possible to do with finance. Secondly, don't have too much to do with politicians. If they CONT'D ON PG. 23