For the first time in over a year, long-time Guiding Light volunteer Scott Lenger stepped foot inside Guiding Light. Before the pandemic, Scott has been stopping by every Wednesday at noon to work with men staying here for years.
He holds a weekly hour-long book study with clients of Guiding Light Recovery during which they discuss two chapters from the book Blue Like Jazz: Non-Religious Thoughts on Christian Spirituality, by Donald Miller. Guiding Light has a special place in Scott’s heart, as his son Dan came through the Recovery program years ago.
Due to the restrictions and precautions taken by Guiding Light to prevent any risk of exposure to COVID-19, volunteers like Scott have been unable to come into the building or work with any clients in-person. We are proud to report that much of our staff and volunteers have been vaccinated, and things have slowly began to get back to normal. Everyone is observing strict health protocols; requiring temperature and symptom documentation upon entry along with the wearing of masks and six-foot social distancing that must be observed while in the building. As one of the few volunteers allowed into the facility at this time Scott says that “it’s good to be back.” His optimistic and inspirational energy has been something that the men have looked forward to working with every week. Scott’s facilitation of open-ended conversations about spirituality, life, and what it means to be human, is a welcome reprieve and opportunity for many men to “let their hair down” and to discuss their lives without judgement. Often these book study group discussions revolve around the struggles that many men have when it comes to spirituality in their lives. Although Scott is a Christian himself and drums for the Sunday service at Cornerstone church, he is open, amenable, and receptive to men from all walks of life.
We are so grateful for volunteers like Scott who dedicate their time to helping our clients find happiness, freedom, and joy in their recovery. Often, especially in the early months of sobriety, it is easy for men to be caught up in the very real and deadly seriousness of their predicaments. Having someone like Scott to guide them and remind them that, no matter what their past has been, they are human beings and deserving of love in this existence is incalculably valuable for our clients.
