Pubdate: Tue, 04 Sep 2012
Source: Glanbrook Gazette (CN ON)
Copyright: 2012 Metroland Media Group Ltd
Contact:  http://www.sachem.ca/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5329
Author: Jennifer Vo

CALEDONIA FAMILY RAISES $2,200 FOR DRUG ADDICTION PROGRAMS

It was an overwhelming number of residents who came out to the charity
barbeque to help support the cause of one Caledonia family and the
close friends of Jared Humenik.

"We didn't sell hot dogs. People were just coming to give us money in
Jared's honour. I think the whole grocery bill was $260 so people were
just being generous," said Carolyn Humenik, Jared's mother, who is
pleased to announce they raised $2,200 from the barbeque and even
received donations days later.

"There were a couple of people who broke my heart because they came
with joy to give but also sadness that they lost a great friend."

The family is donating $500 to Community Addiction and Mental Health
Services (CAMHS), which will stay in the community, and the remaining
to New Port Treatment Centre in Port Colborne - the same institution
where Jared was suppose to go six days before he passed away.

"He was supposed to go to New Port on July 9 and he died on July 3,"
she said. "Usually, when [the addict is] going to rehab, they've
[already] lost their driver's license because of addictions. They've
lost their job because of addictions and their family doesn't stand
behind them."

She said the money would be used to help transport patients from their
home to the rehab facility so that every addict who is seeking help
can get it.

Humenik said this fundraising barbeque is just the beginning of a
foundation as well as an awareness campaign the family plans to create
in Jared's memory.

"Where we want to go with this is highlight to the community that
there is a need to help. I am told that severe depression and
addiction are at almost epidemic levels now," she said, adding that
the more people she has talked to about this, the more she sees the
problem out there.

"We have to get these [addicts] out of the closet and make their
family, their friends aware and look for permanent solutions to this
problem."

She said depression and addiction aren't obvious problems that people
can easily see, but they are still major issues that need to be
addressed, and ones that families and friends need to be informed about.

"A lot of addicts have been abandoned by their families. One thing we
could never do was abandon our son."

The family is working on establishing the Threshold to a Better
Tomorrow foundation to help other addicts receive the help that they
need.

"We don't want anyone else to lose a child to this terrible disease
because [Jared] was 27 years old and still my kid," she said. "The
memory that we have now is the legacy of these wonderful people who
are going to keep his personality and love alive."

Jared committed suicide in July as a result of severe depression and
addiction. Humenik said she wants to get the awareness out there about
addiction and depression in hopes to prevent other families from
having to go through what Jared's family went through.
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