A new resource in Marshfield is working to make sure Webster County residents struggling with substance use have somewhere close to home to turn for help.
This Saturday, Lane Change will take that message outside its East Madison Street office and onto the Marshfield Square.
Lane Change will host a recovery concert beginning at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26. The evening will feature testimonies from people connected with the Webster County office, along with music from Christian hip-hop artist Kyle Lowery.
Lauren Mitchell, executive director of Lane Change, said the event is part of Recovery Awareness Month and gives Marshfield a chance to celebrate people who are working to rebuild their lives.
“We're wanting to do something just to bring the community together, basically just to celebrate recovery and what that means for a community,” Mitchell said.
For Mitchell, that last part is important. Recovery doesn't stop with one person. It can make a difference for families, friends, employers and the community as a whole.
Lane Change's presence in Marshfield is still relatively new, but Mitchell said the effort to bring the organization to Webster County had strong local support from the beginning.
She said State Representative John Black was one of the first people to approach her after seeing the work Lane Change was doing in the Lebanon area. The conversation was simple: Webster County needed something similar.
From there, support grew to include local court and government officials, the Webster County Health Unit, area churches and residents who had seen firsthand how substance use can affect a family.
Lane Change eventually found a home at 205 E. Madison Street, just off the Marshfield Square.
Mitchell said being in the middle of town was important. Some people who need the organization's services don't have reliable transportation and may have to walk.
The location puts Lane Change close to the Webster County Courthouse, Webster County Justice Center, health department and other services people may already be using.
“We knew that we wanted to be close to the square, near the courthouse, near the jail, near the health department, kind of the center of the community,” Mitchell said.
The Marshfield office is currently open Monday through Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and people don't need an appointment.
They can simply walk through the door.
Peer support specialists and recovery support specialists are available to talk with people and help connect them with services. Most importantly, Mitchell said, there is no charge for someone seeking that help.
She believes that matters when someone is already struggling to take the first step.
“When we say, ‘It doesn't cost you anything, just come in and get plugged in, get connected,’ that is a huge way for us to be able to say there's nothing that's going to keep you from getting the help that you might need,” Mitchell said.
The Marshfield office could soon be available even more often. Mitchell said additional funding has come in that should allow Lane Change to expand its local hours.
Community involvement will remain a big part of the effort.
Residents interested in volunteering can contact the Marshfield office or reach out through Lane Change's Facebook page. The organization also accepts financial support from people who want to contribute monthly, quarterly or annually.
Saturday night's concert brings many of those pieces together in one place.
It gives people already involved in recovery a chance to celebrate their progress. It gives families and friends a chance to support them. And for someone in Webster County who may be struggling quietly, it offers a chance to see that help is available right here in Marshfield.
The Lane Change recovery concert begins at 6 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26, on the Marshfield Square.
