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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID WABASH, IN PERMIT NO. 233 Vol. 44, No. 34
Transitional home for women coming to Wabash By Joseph Slacian jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com A historic home in Wabash will soon get new life as a transitional home for women, those attending An Evening With the Mayor learned on Thursday evening. The home is located at 189 N. Wabash St., just north of the Norfolk Southern railroad crossing. Sarah Lochner, former chief probation officer for Wabash County and member of the county’s Drug Steering Committee since it formed in 2016, spoke to the group of about 40 people about the new home. “One of the first things we wanted to do as a Drug Steering Committee is obviously identify the issues that were being missed, or the gaps in services being missed, for individuals afflicted with substance abuse disorder in our community,” she said. “We know that Wabash has a lot of great services, but there are still gaps and still individuals who are not being served. So, one of the first things we landed on early on is a transitional living home for women. “When we look at Wabash and what is available, we really don’t have a safe, sober environment where women returning to community, whether that’s from incarceration or a difficult situation, can go and be safe and know they will have a sober place to be. So, we decided we needed it.” The home was one of six historic homes that Indiana Landmarks purchased at auction. “When we presented this idea to Landmarks about what we wanted to do, I feel that there was little to no hesitation partnering with us for
this project,” said Lochner, who is vice chair of the Waypoint board. “It’s sort of a win-win. We get to restore this beautiful historic home in Wabash. That’s phenomenal. That’s pretty cool. “And we get to provide this really needed service that has been missing for women.” The house is currently undergoing renovations. “They’ve cleared the trees and brush that made it look like an abandoned home,” she said. “It looked like a scary residence for a while, but now it’s beautiful.” The inside has been cleaned and is ready for interior work, which includes a new kitchen, heating and air conditioning work, and more. “The goal is that we’ll have women in there at the end of the first quarter next year,” Lochner said. Waypoint is in the process of seeking an executive director. “It’s really exciting to see the number of people who are interested in coming on board and making this happen,” she said. “We have a couple of different people we are considering.” The home will have 12 beds; one for the house manager and the other for residents. “The program is going to be designed as a 12 step program,” Lochner said. “Our goal is to really utilize the great services that we do have here in Wabash – the Bowen Center, Parkview, Friends Counseling – and make sure the women have what they need to get to where they want to go.” Mayor Scott Long suggested the name Waypoint when the group was looking for what to call the new
Sarah Lochner discusses the Waypoint home during “An Evening With the Mayor” on Oct. 28 at the Wabash County Museum.
The future Waypoint home on North Wabash Street. Photos by Joseph Slacian organization. “Waypoint is a point between two locations,” he said. “Like, if you’re going from A to B, the waypoint would be in the center of that. So, we chose Waypoint because you’ve
Interior shots of what the future Waypoint home now looks like. Photos provided
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got women coming out of a life of chaos and disorder, and this is a stopping point to get to a life of sobriety and family, and where they actually need to be in life.” Lochner admits she wasn’t sold on the name initially. But when she learned its meaning, she thought it was a perfect fit. Indiana Landmarks has been instrumental in developing the facility. The group has agreed to donate the purchase price to Waypoint, as well as any grants it receives for renovation. “That is a huge benefit for us,” Lochner said. “It’s not cheap to renovate a really old house. There’s a lot that goes into it. “We’re very, very grateful to the Indiana Landmarks board for throwing its support behind the organization.” The Waypoint board is currently in the process of fundraising for the home. The board is about halfway to its $600,000 goal, with hopes of Continued on Page 19
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