Nov. 23, 2022 By Breeauna Sagdal

The Novemburn for Hope Challenge is coming to close soon and it appears that Councilman Greg Neitzert might be headed for a second year win. The challenge began last year as an awareness campaign for the Link, a Sioux Falls based emergency triage center for mental health and chemical dependency in all its many forms.



"We had raised funding for COVID-19 rental relief, and had this incredible service for the community," Councilman Marshall Selberg tells TDL. "We just needed to figure out how to merge the two concepts, and tell the community it was available," Selberg said. The service provided by the Link is saving thousands of lives in the Sioux Falls area alone.

Bill Earley is the Executive Director of the Link. Earley tells TDL that his staff members have helped to provide triage services for over 5,000 people this year, creating a sizable dent in the opioid war. "These are not numbers to us," Earley said. "The people walking through our doors are the same kids you grew up with, played sports with, went to prom with. They're brothers, sisters, sons and daughters and everyday our staff members hope and pray that another soul will walk through our doors and have that 'vie' moment."

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

When people decide to fight for their lives and work towards reducing chemical dependencies, Earley and his staff call this "the vie moment." "We have many who come through our program several times, and that's okay," Earley said. "The moments we live for though, are those moments when you see a shift happen, and people begin to vie for their lives. We call this the vie moment."



The Link is one of the only emergency triage facilities in the Sioux Falls area. The program helps people to detox from opioid pain medications or street drugs, and become stable in those first steps to freedom from chemical dependency. The link also specializes in recognizing and addressing duel-diagnosis needs, which helps people to get linked to the right services while in the midst of an episode.

In an effort to help raise awareness about this program. Sioux Falls City Council members have been growing out their facial hair, specifically their side-burns. Sioux Falls Police Chief Jon Thum actually inspired the entire event, Councilman Selberg explains. "Police Chief Thum has the best side-burns, so we decided to do something silly and challenge each other for a good cause," Selberg said. Chief Thom will be judging this year, and we will know soon who has won for sure.

Let us know who you think will win. Have you or someone you love been impacted by the opioid epidemic? Write to us and share your experience at Editor@DakotaLeader.com



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--Breeauna Sagdal

Post Date: 2022-11-23 14:02:24

Last Update: 2022-11-23 16:25:50